The NHL has suspended Florida Panthers vice chairman and alternate governor Doug Cifu indefinitely after he made inappropriate posts on social media.
Cifu engaged in an argument with a Toronto fan on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday night. The exchange began when the fan compared Florida’s players’ hits in their ongoing series against the Maple Leafs to the Israel-Palestine conflict. In response, Cifu posted a message referring to the fan as a “51st state anti semite loser.” The term “51st state” is a reference to former President Donald Trump’s repeated comments about adding Canada as a state. The post was quickly deleted, and the account was subsequently suspended.
The NHL deemed Cifu’s posts unacceptable and inappropriate, leading to his suspension from any involvement with both the Panthers and the league. Cifu is a co-founder of Virtu Financial, the company he runs with Panthers owner Vincent Viola, and he was part of the team’s Stanley Cup-winning group last year.
Cifu has expressed regret for his actions, saying in a statement that his behavior does not align with the values of the Panthers or the Viola family. He apologized for his comments and committed to working with the NHL to address the situation. Additionally, Cifu is expected to meet with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman in person soon.
