Panthers Fire Employee For Leaking New Rink Design

The Florida Panthers have lost no time in making it clear how the franchise deals with unwanted leaks by firing an employee of the organization.

The Panthers fired such an employee following the unauthorized release of a photo showcasing the team's new Stanley Cup-inspired center ice logo, shared widely on X by user David Rodriguez , who wondered if the photo was real.

According to Miami-based sports reporter Andy Slater of FOX Sports 640 , the Panthers took swift action after the photo was leaked.

"The employee who took this pic has been fired, multiple sources tell me," Slater wrote on X. "The new center-ice logo, as seen below, was leaked on social media before the Florida Panthers planned to unveil it."

Rodriguez, who first shared the image and has no connection with the franchise other than hosting the fan-led "FLA Cats Hockey Podcast," sparked a massive social reaction with 1.6 million views and 1.2 likes on X at the time of this writing on August 29.

The Panthers' new center ice logo follows a growing trend among NHL teams to introduce fresh, full-ice designs. Similar updates are expected from the Vancouver Canucks and Ottawa Senators for the next season.

The difference in the two aforementioned cases, however, is that both designs were officially introduced by the official franchise accounts on X instead of leaked by an employer.

Vancouver shared its new design on August 23 , followed by Ottawa's release on August 24 .

Related: Patrik Laine's Fiancee Issues Heartful Request To Canadiens Fans