Doug MacLean on Toronto Radio: Panthers Management is "A Joke"

I know this is a few days old, but I just got the chance to listen to Pete DeBoer's interview on Toronto's Sportsnet Radio Fan 590 from Monday. The link will take you to the full interview. Definitely worth the time.

Pete called in and talked to old pal Doug MacLean and co-host Nick Kypreos and Doug sure wasn't using kid gloves when talking about his Panthers. 

MacLean, some of you may remember, used to coach the Panthers. 

He's still the only coach to win a playoff game -- much less a series -- with the Panthers in franchise history.

That's as painful to write as it is to read.

Anyway, Doug still has a place down here so he follows the travails of the Panthers as much as anyone.

Like most, he sure don't like what he sees. 

Said Doug on Pete's chances to stick around after the trade deadline: "Good grief. I watched a lot of nights and didn't know any of your players.''

And on Panthers management. (I do not think he's talking about Dale Tallon nor Mike Santos):

"I hear this a lot down there: 'The hockey side has to do the job. We're doing everything we can on the business side.' I say that's complete BS.

"Jacques Martin brought you in and he got out the minute he could, saw a good position and I don't blame him for that.

"Until they fix the whole operation, top to bottom, they have no chance at having any success. I've followed it as close as anyone the past 15 years and it is a joke.''

Harsh words.

Pete repeated some of the words he had for us and for Sid Rosenberg on WQAM, saying he agrees with the way Dale Tallon wants to rebuild the franchise. 

"We weren't good enough to win,'' DeBoer said regarding the Florida Panthers fire sale at the deadline.

"If they wanted to spend, add to get into the playoffs, it may have happened. We were kind of knocking on the door.

"The reality is, this was a team that may have squeaked into the playoffs and then been done. Dale wants to contend and win championships. Even if we added something, we weren't that team. We knew there would be a lot of long nights over the final 20 nights.''

And on the state of the Panthers during his tenure here: 

"Definitely not a lot of stability. I had three different ownership situations, three different GMs. And I don't have a bad word to say about any of them. They treated me first class. But the instability sure didn't help.

"We're a non traditional market down here. Have to win to get people to come. To win, have to spend some money and get some players. It's a vicious cycle.''

Doug then asked how many pieces the Panthers truly have to compete. This was something I spoke with Pete about before he got the ax here. Pete basically told me to look at Pittsburgh minus Sidney and Malkin. The Penguins still have top players. He asked if I saw many of those kind of guys on the Panthers. You don't. 

"When I got here, took the job, the sell was we're building around Bouwmeester, Horton, Booth, Weiss that group of guys. Jokinen at the time.

"Now it's a full 360. I think the pieces are from last year's draft, this year's draft. With all due respect to Booth and Weiss, there's just not enough depth to lead you to the Stanley Cup. I think the plan, my understanding of it, the pieces you're talking about leading this team out of the woods are the draft picks. Three first rounders last year, the picks this year. That's a long way off.''

Anyone fired up about next season?

Heat play the Sixers Monday at War Memorial. Bring the kids.

Comments

[pantherfan]

I think the plan, my understanding of it, the pieces you'RE talking about leading this team out of the woods are the draft picks. Three first rounders last year, the picks last year. That's a long way off.''

[Jeff]

Too bad this wasn't from a better source since McLean had 10 years to build something in Columbus and never achieved anything. There is clearly something wrong in how the Panthers operate.

I don't understand the comments from DeBoer where we were in the thick of a playoff race. It wasn't like the team only had to enter a couple of depth pieces to make a run for a playoff spot. They needed at least 2 top 6 forwards and a top pair D. The Panthers do not have the assets to make a trade for frontline talent so the best play is to accumulate picks.

[kevin]

agree jeff.... but this team needs to have oweners who want to win and actually care about the panthers

[yorkman needs to be fired]

all i have to say is i agree with one point doug made! yorkman stay the f*** out of hockey operations . that is all....

[enunez]

Ownership group is the problem. Ego trippers: millionaires wannabees. they buya piece of the team so they can say the own a sports team but cant afford to invest real money to make a difference. Still they can tell their friends they own a sports team.
The last time South Florida had a real NHL hockey team, that team played in the Miami Arena.

[ExSTH]

Who the heck is Yorkman? At least if your going to slam the dude, get his name right. It's Yormark.

[SammyPhish]

I'd like to also know WHO might be the top tier FREE AGENTS this franchise could go after? Since this is a down year for those, the decent ones sure aren't targeting this franchise to play for. I don't see Brad Richards coming here...DO YOU? Picks are fine, but you have to put something around these kids. We have nothing much to trade to get anything else either...SO, IMO this team will again spend bare minimum, and go with what they have. Someone has to finish in last place.

[Shawn Koivisto(Catscratchfever)]

Hey, ExSTH, not around much? If you spent as much time as alot of us diehards do discussing all things Panthers, you might understand why he called him Yorkman. I'll call him Yorkman until the day he's fired. And then after that, too.

[we need a star]

George, What do you think about us making a run at RFA Stamkos from Tampa. If we throw a blockbuster offer at him, say 10.5 or 11 mil for 10 t0 12 years...... It would be hard for tampa to match, they only have about 22.8 mil to spend and only have 11 players signed. This would be similar to other superstar contracts with the exception that he is only 21 and would be giving us the best years of his career.

[Georgia Panther]

Anyone that thinks next year won't look alot like this year is fooling themselves. And that is the right course to follow though it requires the patience of a Saint. DeBoer was right in saying that the players that will lead the Panthers out of the woods will be the players they drafted last season and they pick this Entry Draft. And with the exception of Gudbranson, none of them will start skating on NHL ice for at least one more season.

[Same Old Panthers]

Leave it to Maclean to say it like it is. I guess that he is still upset over his firing and the trades made after the rat run. This team has been a mess since that time. I think this team is in for a great turnaround though after this draft. There are some good rfa and UFAs available. I doubt the panthers would be willing to give up four first round picks for stamkos for a qualifying offer. But leino and versteeg are available.

[George Richards]

yeah, I agree, the price tag in draft picks for Stamkos is way too high...and I think TB would do everything it could to keep him anyway...there aren't as many top-notch UFAs out there, so look out for some trades before the draft

[Puckbubba]

Panthers could have a decent team if they make some trades for both RFAs of teams that are too close to the cap to sign them and trade for some overpaid players that are not producing that their current team would like to move, ie Gaborik. That mixed in with some UFAs could give Booth and Weiss some help.

George any work on the AHL changes or is everyone just waiting for Phoenix to end their season and move to Winnipeg? I read that the Moose AHL franchise could be suspended a year until they decide what the owners want to do. Any word out of Panthers what their AHL plan is?

[Exiled Oiler]

Panthers have enough cap space to turn this around quickly if they want to. They need to be super aggressive in free agency for once. They need 2 top six forwards, one of which is a center better than Weiss (Brad Richards anyone) a veteran D-man and to resign Voukon or goalie as good.
If they could land those 4 players and bump Weiss and Booth down to the second line things would fall into place. They have enough depth from the remaining forwards (who are all 3rd and 4th liners anyways) to fill out the other 2 lines. The defense is young and getting good. Only need a vet to help out the player power, Kulikov is almost ready to become a force and Gudbranson should be up next season.

the big questions are 1) will they even try to do it? or will they stick to signing the Stillman's of the world 2) do any good players want to sign on here

[Exiled Oiler]

that should read power play not player power...jeez

[season ticket holder since day one]

they already said they are going to the cap floor so don't expect any big names just some overpaid over the hill vets signed to one or two year contracts.

Doug is right as the word around the league is that the business side is into the hockey side way too much at least it was with JM and Sexton, I don't think Tallon would put up with that bull

The first step according to Tallon is to build up the farm system. Well you have to have a team to send players too, if Yormark is pulling the purse strings in on orders of the owners then the first sign will be no AHL team for the panthers.

If no AHL team then we know this is another smoke job by the organization

[Exiled Oiler]

It will be an interesting summer for sure but we should know soon if Tallon is for real or whether this is just another smoke job by ownership.
Sure signs of a smoke job: No Panthers only AHL team, Defenseman selected with the #3 pick, no goal scorers signed in free agency.

[EJ]

At worst, Tampa will take Stamkos to arbitration, thereby ensuring that he's their property for the upcoming season.

[curious]

all i know is tallon better get some good players here because if he is planning on building around there drafts it wont work.
look at edmonton hall,eberle,omark all rookies and look what place they ended up in edmonton last! you need good players surrounding your prospects, its going to be tuff for tallon!
george is right they are going to have to make trades for good talent only ones that jump out at me are connoly from buffalo brook laich and brad richards,
other problem is they need players to trade and they dont. going to be intresting to see how tallon draws players here !

[ac]

Maclean was right, but I don't see how anything he said contradicts Tallon's plan.

We needed new management in town, and an owner committed to winning. Tallon is an experienced GM, and Viner (whom I've met) definitely wants to win.

I don't think the Panther's orginization is telling anyone to prepare for playoff hockey next year. Tallon said that he doesn't want to rush draft picks, so Tallon will be making decisions based on our team being good 2-3 years down the road at least, not tomorrow.

Our team lacked stability, solid management, and the patience to build a team correctly. Tallon is trying it the correct way, and time will tell if he succeeds. He at least is not making the same mistakes others have in the past.

[uglyaqua]

If Tallon is that good of a GM, why was he shown the door in Chicago? Why has this been shaded in smoke and little facts?

[Exiled Oiler]

It's all well and good for the team, press and some fans to paint a rosey picture of the players that Tallon drafted last year and that he is going to draft this year but there is no guarantee that any of them are going to work out much less be star players to lead the team to the playoffs. They have got to sign some players that can carry the offense for the next couple of years whether they are building primarily thru the draft or not. Everyone keeps saying they are only going to spend to the floor like it's a complete negative (I know they should spend more so I do understand that sentiment) but they are so far below the floor right now that they could come out of this offseason with a pretty good team if they sign the right players - 30 million is a lot to spend and with an aggressive approach to free agency this team could be much better than last. I don't think anyone including Yormark wants a repeat of the last 20 games of the season which were pretty dreadful. I know it's not the greatest group of UFA's but there are still some good players available: Brad Richards, Erik Cole, Brooks Laich, Radim Vrbata, Jussi Jokinen are all guys how could help.

[rnh]

i hope they get hopkins hes a franchise player

[Puckbubba]

uglyaqua - Bowman Junior was assisant GM and they wanted to get Scotty on board and would give his son the GM job if he came. He came then they created a reason to remove Tallon. They never sent in the qualifing offers and the buck stops at the GM but many have said that that was junior's job.

Tallon is a good GM but he has made his mistakes too, Huet was a a terrible UFA. Tallon was the key man in Hawks obtaining good players in trades and drafts. Out of all the possible GM choices, he is the best Panthers could have got.

[litespeedvb1]

Puckbubba-where exactly did you get this crazy info?I dont think Chicago ownership would on purpose not send in the contract offers.They would not ruin the next years team to create a reason to bounce Tallon.They would just show him the door.You must also believe in the 9/11 and Kennedy assination theories.

[RPBPantherfan]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/allan_muir/07/14/tallon.mailbag/index.html