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Team USA men’s national hockey team and Florida Panthers equipment manager Thaddeus “Teddy” Richards was arrested on Friday.
Richards, 43, was arrested in Florida on misdemeanor charges of battery/domestic violence and unauthorized use of 911 services, according to online records. The Athletic was the first to report it.
The incident happened in Coral Springs, Florida, and Richards was in jail at the Broward Main Jail in Fort Lauderdale as of Friday night.
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Jeremy Swayman #1 of Team United States and equipment manager Teddy Richards react from the bench during the first period of the 4 Nations Face-Off between Team Sweden and Team United States at TD Garden in Boston, Mass. (Steve Babineau/4NFO/World Cup of Hockey via Getty Images)
“The Florida Panthers organization has been made aware of an incident involving the arrest of equipment manager Teddy Richards,” the Panthers said in a statement.
“Effective immediately, he will be suspended from all team activities and facilities pending investigation.”
Pakinomist Digital reached out to USA Hockey for a statement, but did not immediately receive a response.
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Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, Florida Panthers president Bill Zito, Panthers Equipment Manager Teddy Richards and Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk pose with a puck to celebrate their Olympic gold medal before an NHL game between the Maple Leafs and Panthers on Feb. 26, 2026 at Sunrise, Fla. Bank Arena. (Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
A native of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Richards began his career working for the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. He worked with the Penguins’ AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins from 2002 to 2013.
After over a decade in the AHL, he was promoted to assistant equipment manager for the Penguins. He remained there from 2013 to 2016 and was part of the staff for the team’s 2016 Stanley Cup run.
After the Penguins won the Stanley Cup, he left for the Panthers. He has been the Panthers’ equipment manager since the 2016-17 season.
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Chief Equipment Officer Teddy Richards of the Florida Panthers celebrates with the Stanley Cup after Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla. (Dave Sandford/NHLI)
He has been with the team for both of its Stanley Cup championships in 2023–24 and 2024–25.
While with the Penguins, Richards worked with head coach Mike Sullivan, who was the head coach for Team USA in both the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off at the 2025 and 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games.
Richards was the team equipment manager for both of those Team USA teams, and his connection to Sullivan helped him land the role.
