After twelve years of futility, the Florida Panthers have finally made it past a regular season to get into the NHL playoffs.

The Panthers, led by first-year coach Kevin Dineen, were able to capture their first Division title in franchise history. This, however, is the child of General Manager Dale Tallon who transformed a perennial loser into a Stanley Cup contender for the second time in his general manager career.

Tallon first accomplished a turn-around with the Chicago Blackhawks, taking over the playing of this abysmal hockey team that had not made the playoffs in five out of six years. Through wise drafting and trades, the Blackhawks raised the Stanley Cup in 2010.

After that championship year, he left to take the same position with the Panthers. In one short year, he turned them around, allowing them to win the Division title which they strived to get for 12 years.

Tallon, starting in the June off-season, added key pieces to the team including wingman Kris Versteeg, a former Stanley Cup champion, and new goaltender Jose Theodore who led the Panthers to many wins this past season. He also traded away many key pieces from the Panthers past such as wingman David Booth. It got to the point that only two Panthers remained from the pre-lockout season in 2002. With these coming additions, it made all the difference as the Panthers were able to finally be recognized as legitimate Eastern Conference and title contenders.

They played against the New Jersey Devils in their first playoff matchup since the 1999-2000 season. The Conference Quarterfinals was taken to all seven games in order to decide a victor.

Each game ended with late-game heroics and plastic rats on ice. The Panthers came close to advancing and winning their first playoff series since 1996. Ending in a second overtime of added hockey, the Panthers lost in Game 7 on a go-ahead score by the Devils after many opportunities to score beginning in the first overtime.

Defeated, this is only the beginning as the Panthers are on the verge of becoming a true NHL powerhouse with talents such as Versteeg, long life Panther Stephen Weiss and goalies Jose Theodore and Scott Clemmensen.

The Panthers have also created a young nucleus with future prospects hoping to get a chance to shine (i.e. Erik Gudbranson in 2010 and Jonathan Huberdeau in 2011).

The ambition: to grow into champions as Tallon accomplished with the Blackhawks.