Panthers suspend equipment manager following domestic violence arrest

Nov 30, 2023; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; View of a Florida Panthers logo on a jersey worn by a member of the team during warm-up before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images The Florida Panthers suspended equipment manager Teddy Richards on Friday, following his arrest on misdemeanor charges of battery/domestic violence and unauthorized use of 911 services. Richards was arrested Friday at his home in Coral Springs, Fla. He has been the Panthers' equipment manager since the 2016-17 season. Richards began his career with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the Pittsburgh Penguins' AHL affiliate, working there from 2002-2013. He was then promoted to assistant equipment manager for Pittsburgh, where he worked from 2013-16 before joining the Panthers' organization. The 43-year-old also worked as the equipment manager for Team USA during the NHL's 4 Nations Face-Off in 2025 and at the 25th Winter Olympics held in Italy in 2026. The Panthers have not commented on the situation other than a social media post that confirmed Richards has been "suspended from all team activities and facilities pending investigation." --Field Level Media