The Chicago Blackhawks just came off their best season in ages when they made it to the Western Conference Finals last year, losing to the Detroit Red Wings in five games.
Many will tell you the Hawks’ new found success is due to three things: their home games being on television, ownership changing hands to Rocky Wirtz after his father, the frugal Bill Wirtz, died in 2007, and General Manager Dale Tallon.
Despite the success, the Hawks made a stunning move Monday night when they fired Tallon, who had been part of the organization for 32 years.
The move, which was first reported by Comcast SportsNet Chicago and then the Chicago Tribune, means Assistant General Manager Stan Bowman is expected to be named General Manager today. Bowman is the son of legendary coach Scotty Bowman, who currently serves as the Hawks’ Senior Advisor of Hockey Operations.
Earlier today, the Hawks announced they will keep Tallon around by re-assigning him within the organization.
“I have been with this organization in several different capacities since coming over as a player in 1973 and although my position has changed, my goals have not,” Tallon said. “In my new role as Senior Advisor, Hockey Operations I will continue in any way that will help make this a better product on the ice. I’ve seen Stan come up through our ranks and I’m confident he is the right person to step in. This is what is best for the Chicago Blackhawks.”
Tallon played 10 years in the NHL, including five seasons with the Hawks, before he became the team’s radio and television analyst in 1980, teaming up with legendary play-by-play man Pat Foley for the next 16 seasons. After several stints in the front office Tallon was named GM following the 2005 NHL lockout.
He helped turn the Hawks into a Stanley Cup contender by making some swift moves when the team was a perennial bottom feeder. During his time as GM, he signed some big name free agents like goalie Nikolai Khabibulin, forward Martin Havlat, defenseman Brian Campbell and, most recently, forward Marian Hossa.
Tallon was responsible for acquiring center Patrick Sharp and forward Kris Versteeg, who became a finalist for 2009 Calder Memorial Trophy. He also drafted rising stars in forwards Jonathan Toews and 2008 Calder Memorial Trophy winner Patrick Kane.
However, during the course of this offseason, Tallon failed to send qualifying offers to eight restricted free agents at the deadline set by the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. The Hawks signed all eight players, including Versteeg and defenseman Cam Barker, but in order to appease the Player’s Union, they had to overpay to keep them.
Versteeg and Barker both signed three-year deals worth $9.25 million. Had the deadline been met for qualifying offers, both could have earned a salary only 10 percent more than their salaries from last season. Barker earned a salary of $984,000 while Versteeg made $490,000 during the 2008-09 season.
Tallon took the fall for the embarrassment.
”We were late filing, something we haven’t done in the past,” Tallon said last week. ”For a couple of reasons, we were a little late. We should have filed earlier. It’ll never happen again.”
The small mistake was not only embarrassing, but it could potentially make it difficult to resign Toews, Kane, and star defenseman Duncan Keith when they become free agents before the 2010-11 season. The salary cap, which dropped to around $56 million for the 2009-10 season, is expected to drop down to $50 million dollars that offseason.
The 36-year old Bowman is the ninth GM in Hawks’ history. Before becoming assistant general manager two years ago, he joined the organization in 2001 as the special assistant to the general manager.
