Team USA hockey equipment manager arrested on misdemeanor charges of battery/domestic violence

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 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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"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."

Fox News Digital reached out to USA Hockey for a statement, but did not immediately receive a response.

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Richards is from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and 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 Stanley Cup run in 2016.

After the Penguins won the Stanley Cup, he departed for the Panthers. He has been the Panthers’ equipment manager since the 2016-17 season.

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 in 2025 and the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games.

Richards was the team’s equipment manager for both of those Team USA squads, with his connection to Sullivan helping him land the role.

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