The Florida Panthers will play the Edmonton Oilers Tuesday night for a chance to win their second straight Stanley Cup.
The biggest question is not who will start in goal for the Oilers, but who will bang the drum before the game to get the crowd riled up.
There has been a statement floating around social media that local Miami Dolphins personnel and players have not been good luck to the team when they bang the drum.
This is simply not true.
The Dolphins might not have won a playoff game of their own in 25 years, but they have led the Panthers to victory.
Despite Pro Football Hall of Famer and Dolphins edge rusher Jason Taylor banging the drum before Game 4, a game the Panthers lost in overtime. The Panthers have enjoyed a modicum of success when the Dolphins are in control of the drum and pregame festivities.
A member of the Dolphins beat the drum nine times during the course of the playoff runs since 2023. The Panthers have gone 6-3 in that span. The Panthers have secured wins with Mike McDaniel (twice), Dan Marino, Jalen Ramsey, Jaylen Waddle and Jonnu Smith.
However, the Cats have lost the last two home games when a Dolphins player was assigned drum duty, as Zach Sieler failed to secure a win in the Eastern Conference Finals to go along with Taylor’s luck in Game 4 last week.
Florida was also on the wrong side of the score when Raheem Mostert banged the drum in the second round of the playoffs last season. However, Mostert, who now plays for the Las Vegas Raiders, remains an ardent Panthers fan and frequently posts on social media when the team is playing.
When looking at the local teams, no team can beat the Miami Heat, who are a perfect 4-0 in banging the drum. Before Game 3, captain Bam Adebayo had drum duties and led the Panthers to victory. He was accompanied by former Heat captain Udonis Haslem. The pair has been seen at many Panthers games at the Amerant Bank Arena.
The Florida Panthers are a perfect 3-0 when someone connected with the Panthers organization bangs the drum. Former Panther great and radio commentator Bill Lindsay was in charge of the drum in Game 6 of Round 1 against Boston in 2023.
Former netminder Roberto Luongo helped secure a win in Game 7 of the 2024 Cup Final, while Keith Yandle participated in Game 3 of the second round against Toronto in 2025. The Panthers came into the game needing a win, as they were down 2-0 heading into the pivotal game.
Finally, the Florida/Miami Marlins are 3-1 when banging the drum. They have won with Livan Hernandez, Jeff Conine and Juan Pierre, but took a loss with Charles Johnson.
Reports indicate Luongo will bang the drum on Tuesday night once again. Regardless of whether the Panthers win the cup on Tuesday night, this will be their last home game of the season. So, either way, the Dolphins will leave with a winning record when banging the drum.
More Miami Dolphins Coverage
