Panthers GM Tallon on new coach Gallant: 'This is the guy we wanted'
Florida Panthers general manager Dale Tallon spoke about the decision to hire Gerard Gallant as the team's new head coach in advance of Monday's formal introduction, declaring "this is the guy we wanted" after "an extensive search which was very informative and successful."
It's an interesting statement considering it was reported that Dan Bylsma was at the top of the list until the cost of hiring him scared off the Panthers.
At any rate, Florida settled on Gallant, and Tallon added the following about the new coach:
#FlaPanthers Tallon on Gallant: He has a reputation for having integrity and passion that's beyond reproach.
— George Richards (@GeorgeRichards) June 21, 2014
#FlaPanthers Tallon on Gallant: He's had success w/ young players and we're going to be a young team w/ veterans. He's equipped for both.
— George Richards (@GeorgeRichards) June 21, 2014
To wit, Gallant enjoyed great success as the head coach of the QMJHL's Saint John Sea Dogs; among those young pups was Panthers forward Jonathan Huberdeau, who in 2010-11, scored 43 goals and added 62 assists 67 regular season games, and an additional 16 goals and 14 assists in 30 playoff contests under Gallant prior to being drafted third overall by Florida that June.
Florida boasts a wealth of young talent - including Aleksander Barkov, Nick Bjugstad and Erik Gudbranson - as well as the No. 1 pick in the 2014 Draft, and Tallon certainly appears to believe that Gallant is the right man to help these cats find their roar.