Recently, I had a thought that popped into my head that the Miami Dolphins could be in a very similar position to the Florida Panthers in terms of their front office changes and a potential trade that could happen in the offseason. The reason I bring this up is that both teams were in similar positions at different times in 2020 for the Panthers and 2025 for the Dolphins, with the recent departure of former general manager Chris Grier.

On that note, I do have my usual three takes, so I will not waste any time in taking a Deep End Dive into why the Miami Dolphins could very well be in a similar position to the Florida Panthers from five years ago.

The General Manager Search

In 2020, the Florida Panthers hired their current general manager, Bill Zito, who has done nothing but wonders for the team, finding cornerstone players that fit the system and culture. Take Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, Seth Jones, Aaron Ekblad, and Carter Verhaeghe. These are just a list of names that have been cornerstone pieces on the Florida Panthers since 2020, and that is all Bill Zito’s work. The Dolphins need to take that and find a general manager who sees the pieces that they have and thinks about what we can do to fulfill Stephen Ross’s vision of a championship contender for years to come.

Well, the Dolphins do have some cornerstone pieces of their own, that being De’von Achane, Jaylen Waddle, Jordyn Brooks, and yes, Tua Tagovailoa. The fact of the matter is, currently, the Panthers have way more of those cornerstone pieces than the Dolphins, but we have to remember hockey is a different game entirely from football. The next general manager for the Miami Dolphins will be tasked to find players that can help them win now and in the future, similar to what Bill Zito did with the Florida Panthers.

 

The Matthew Tkachuk Trade

In the 2022 offseason, the Florida Panthers did something that dramatically changed the culture of their locker room when they traded for Matthew Tkachuk, who, at the time, was on the Calgary Flames. They gave up Jonathan Huberdeau and Mackenzie Weegar in the deal, and I think this could relate to the Dolphins, as there is a potential trade this upcoming offseason, which could involve star wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

It is mostly because of Hill’s cap, but we also have to factor in his age as well, and I think whoever gets hired by the Dolphins should deal with him and try to get someone who, in return, can dramatically change the locker room culture.

If they can do that, then they are well on their way. They would also need to find guys who fit that new culture within the team. If the Florida Panthers can do it, then the Dolphins, if they find the right general manager, supposedly, their version of Bill Zito can absolutely be a perennial contender in their conference.

Diamonds in the Ruff

The next general manager of the Miami Dolphins will also be tasked with finding those diamonds in the rough players, similar to Jack Jones and JuJu Brents. The Panthers can teach the Dolphins how to find those diamonds in the rough, but this topic can be a complex one because it is hard to find players off waivers, like Gustav Forsling, for example, who the Panthers got off waivers, who contribute right away.

The Dolphins would have to search the waivers hard if they want to find those guys I will not name names yet because we will not know if these waiver claims can play right away as usually they are practice squad players. So I will not go in-depth on this subject, as it will be hard for the Dolphins. Maybe that was JuJu Brents to find someone like Gustav Forsling.

Dolphins and Panthers Front Office Comparison: In Summary

So, let us wrap this up, how do the Dolphins become like the Florida Panthers in their league. That would be through the next general manager finding cornerstone players that can help the Dolphins win now and in the future. Then, basically, I’m comparing a possible Tyreek Hill trade to the Matthew Tkachuk trade.

Lastly, and this was the difficult one for me, which was finding those diamonds in the rough players like JuJu Brents for the Dolphins, and obviously comparing it to the Panthers claiming Gustav Forsling off waivers, if I remember. These two South Florida teams have both had their down years, except more so for the Dolphins and the Panthers, who have become a powerhouse in the National Hockey League. One thing is for certain, can the Dolphins replicate the same success the Panthers had? Only time will tell.

 

Â