Tallon began his professional hockey career in 1970 when he was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the NHL Amateur Draft. He played for the Canucks for four seasons before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in 1973. Tallon played for the Blackhawks for ten seasons, from 1973 to 1983, and was a key player on the team during that time. He was known for his physical play and his ability to score goals from the blue line.
After retiring as a player, Tallon became a scout for the Blackhawks and eventually worked his way up to become the team's general manager in 2005. He was responsible for building the team that won the Stanley Cup in 2010, the first championship for the Blackhawks in 49 years. Tallon left the Blackhawks in 2009 to become the general manager of the Florida Panthers.
Tallon's tenure with the Panthers was marked by a focus on building through the draft and developing young talent. He was responsible for drafting several key players, including Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau, and Aaron Ekblad. Under his leadership, the Panthers made the playoffs in 2012 and 2016, but were unable to advance past the first round.
In 2019, Tallon was promoted to the role of president of hockey operations for the Panthers, but was let go from the team in August 2020. He is currently a senior advisor for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Throughout his career, Tallon was known for his passion for the game and his ability to identify and develop talent. He was inducted into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in 2016.
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