You’re not going to want to skip this podcast.
Sportsnet insider Chris Johnston kicks off this edition of the Steve Dangle Podcast to talk all things Toronto Maple Leafs for the opening two segments. He speaks about the team’s performance so far, as well as what could happen to the likes of guys like Peter Holland and Frank Corrado.
Then, we shift focus to the Panthers.
People have been asking “What the heck are the Florida Panthers thinking?”
We’ve been wondering the same thing — so we asked them.
Doug Cifu, minority owner of the Panthers, joined the podcast to discuss the controversial firing of Gerard Gallant, analytics rhetoric, and the new direction the Panthers are heading in.
This was a fun conversation. Cifu stayed on the phone for the better part of an hour. While he discusses his background in business and technology, he also weighs in on how he thinks some members of the hockey media have been unfair to the Panthers in the wake of the Gerard Gallant firing.
He goes out of his way to dispel the “Computer Boys” myth by talking about the hockey resume of new Panthers head coach and GM Tom Rowe. He also takes questions on what exactly Dale Tallon does with the team. (While Tallon was recently “promoted,” the common belief is that he was actually stripped of his decision-making powers with the team.)
Perhaps most notably, Cifu says he was embarrassed by the way Gallant’s firing reached the news, and apologizes for the way the event reflected on the team.
Cifu’s phone call begins just prior to the 49-minute mark. Enjoy!
