Tallon gets vote for GM award

At least one NHL general manager hasn't forgotten the job former Blackhawks GM Dale Tallon did to build a Stanley Cup contender.

ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun reported Sunday one GM voted Tallon first on his ballot for the inaugural GM Award. The league's general managers and a media panel vote on the award.

The three finalists are Don Maloney of the Coyotes, Washington's George McPhee and Nashville's David Poile.

Tallon was fired by the Hawks last summer and replaced by Stan Bowman, but his imprint is all over the team that was trying to advance to the Western Conference finals for the second year in a row Sunday.

Wrote LeBrun: "And while no one has an issue with Bowman, who is a good hire and smart hockey guy, some in the GM fraternity are still sour at Hawks president John McDonough for sacking Tallon."

Among Tallon's best moves were drafting Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, trading for Patrick Sharp, Andrew Ladd and Kris Versteeg, and signing Marian Hossa, Brian Campbell and Antti Niemi as free agents.