Douglas Cifu, a senior executive with the Florida Panthers, appeared to make inflammatory remarks on social media Sunday night following his team’s Game 4 playoff win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Cifu, who serves as the team’s vice chairman, partner, and alternate governor, allegedly directed offensive comments at a Maple Leafs fan and made controversial statements referencing the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Screenshots circulating online show posts from Cifu’s now-private X (formerly Twitter) account responding to a fan account known for taunting sports figures. In one of the posts, Cifu allegedly used vulgar language and expressed strong support for Israel while calling for the elimination of Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist organization by countries including the United States, Canada, and the European Union.
The original post by the fan, known online as Dr. Grizzo (@mrgrozz), reportedly compared aggressive hits during the NHL game to violence in the Middle East. Cifu’s response, laced with profanities, sparked immediate backlash online.
