Doug Schiff, the vice-president and alternate governor of the Florida Panthers, has been suspended indefinitely due to inappropriate remarks made on his social media accounts.
The NHL took disciplinary action following comments made during an interaction with Toronto fans on Sunday night on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Fans have been exchanging accusations regarding the behavior of Florida players, tied to the ongoing series against the Toronto Maple Leafs and a broader conflict involving Israel and Palestine.
During the exchange, Leafs fans suggested that Israel was using starvation as a tactic against Palestinian groups in Gaza.
In response to the Toronto fans, Schiff’s posts included offensive language.
He reportedly responded with a derogatory remark referencing a joke made by former President Donald Trump about Canada becoming the 51st state. Schiff wrote, “Eat S *** 51st State Anti-Yemite Loser. Israel is still forever. (sic) until the last Hamasrat was eliminated.”
This incident coincided with the Panthers’ recent victory over the Leafs, tying the series at 2-2.
The NHL stated that Schiff’s posts were “unacceptable and inappropriate,” leading to his indefinite suspension from both the team and the league.
This suspension was first reported by the Toronto Sun.
Schiff is expected to have a meeting with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to address the situation.
In a statement, Schiff expressed regret: “My actions do 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 correct my actions.”
