The Florida Panthers have suspended equipment manager Thaddeus 'Teddy' Richards from all team activities following his arrest on charges of domestic violence and unauthorized use of 911 services. The team announced the suspension immediately after the arrest on Friday night.
Richards is currently being held in Broward County Main Jail. Details surrounding the arrest have not been fully disclosed, as police records departments are closed until Monday morning. The Daily Mail has reached out for further information.
Richards, 43, has been with the Florida Panthers for their recent Stanley Cup victories in 2024 and 2025. Earlier this year, he was selected as the equipment manager for the U.S. Olympic hockey team, which secured a gold medal.
His career in hockey began with the Pittsburgh Penguins' AHL affiliate before he moved to the NHL team in 2013. He was part of the Penguins' 2016 Stanley Cup win before joining the Panthers. Richards' connection to Olympic coach Mike Sullivan, who was coaching in Pittsburgh during Richards' tenure there, is believed to have contributed to his selection for the U.S. Olympic squad.
Richards had gained some public recognition through his role with the successful Panthers and U.S. Olympic teams, appearing on hockey podcasts and being the subject of a positive profile in the Miami Herald in March. Panthers president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Zito had previously praised Richards, calling him a "great American" and a "pretty special guy" for his work ethic and contributions.