Panthers Owner Doug Cifu Faces NHL Suspension Amidst Shocking Social Media Controversy

Sometimes, even those who stand behind the scenes in professional sports find themselves center stage for all the wrong reasons. Doug Cifu, a minority owner with the Florida Panthers and a prominent figure in the hockey world, has landed in hot water with the NHL following a series of social media posts deemed “unacceptable and inappropriate.” The drama unfolded in the wake of the Panthers’ decisive 2-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs—an intense moment that quickly spiraled after Cifu exchanged heated, profanity-laced messages with a fan. The dispute escalated with references to the volatile Israel-Palestine conflict, fueled by Cifu’s outspoken support of Israel on his now-deleted X (formerly Twitter) profile. As things heated up beyond the rink, the league was swift in its response, suspending Cifu indefinitely until he meets with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to address the situation. Meanwhile, Cifu has publicly expressed regret, acknowledging the rash nature of his remarks and pledging to make amends. This incident not only casts a shadow on the Panthers’ front office but also highlights how social media can swiftly transform private opinions into public consequences. LEARN MORE

Florida Panthers minority owner Doug Cifu was suspended by the NHL after making “unacceptable and inappropriate” comments on social media, the league announced Tuesday.

The incident occurred following the Panthers’ 2-0 win in Game 4 vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday. Following the victory, Cifu engaged in a back-and-forth with a fan that included profanity, taunting and comments about the conflict between Israel and Palestine. The latter issue was brought up by the fan due to Cifu’s support of Israel on his X account. Cifu also had five Israeli flag emojis in his bio. His X account was set to private and then deleted shortly after the back-and-forth.

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After multiple tweets with the fan, Cifu eventually responded, “Eat s*** 51st state anti-semite loser. Israel now and forever. Until ever [sic] last Hamas rat is eliminated.”

The NHL did not specify a particular tweet in its announcement, merely stating Cifu was suspended for “unacceptable and inappropriate” posts.

Cifu will need to meet with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman before being reinstated from the suspension, per the league statement.

“The NHL has concluded that Mr. Cifu’s X posts were unacceptable and inappropriate,” the league said in a statement. “As a result, Mr. Cifu has been suspended indefinitely from any involvement with the Club and the NHL. An in-person meeting will be scheduled with Mr. Cifu and the Commissioner at a date to be determined.”

Cifu apologized for those comments in a statement to Florida Hockey Now. In the statement, Cifu said he made “regrettable and inflammatory comments.”

“Two days ago, I posted regrettable and inflammatory comments on social media,’’ Cifu wrote in a statement. “My behavior does not reflect the standards of the Florida Panthers organization and the Viola family. I sincerely apologize to all those affected by my comments. I am committed to working with the NHL to amend my actions.”

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The Panthers are owned by Vincent J. Viola. He and Cifu co-founded Virtu Financial in 2008. Cifu has held an ownership stake in the Panthers since 2013, when Viola purchased the team.

Cifu is listed as the “vice chairman, partner, and alternate governor of Sunrise Sports & Entertainment (SSE), the National Hockey League’s Florida Panthers, FLA Live Arena, and SSE’s additional operating entities,” on the Panthers’ website. He still serves as the CEO at Virtu Financial and sits on the board of directors of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.