Team USA hockey equipment manager arrested on misdemeanor charges

Thaddeus "Teddy" Richards, the equipment manager for the Team USA men's national hockey team and the Florida Panthers, was arrested on Friday in Florida. He faces misdemeanor charges of battery/domestic violence and unauthorized use of 911 services, according to online records. The incident occurred in Coral Springs, Florida, and Richards was held at the Broward Main Jail in Fort Lauderdale as of Friday night. The Florida Panthers organization confirmed the arrest and stated that Richards has been suspended from all team activities and facilities pending an investigation. USA Hockey has been contacted for a statement but has not yet responded. Richards, originally from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, has a history with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, where he worked from 2002 to 2016, including during their Stanley Cup run in 2016. He has been the equipment manager for the Panthers since the 2016-17 season and was part of the team during their Stanley Cup championships in 2023-24 and 2024-25. He also served as the equipment manager for Team USA in the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off in 2025 and the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games.