Dallas Stars Ban Men Responsible for Nazi Salute Video, Cut Off Ticket Buyer

The Dallas Stars were playing the Toronto Maple Leafs in December when the incident took place in the upper deck of the AAC.

Dallas Stars Ban Men Responsible for Nazi Salute Video, Cut Off Ticket Buyer

Dallas Stars play their home games at the American Airlines Center (Image via Dallas Morning News)

In Short
  • The Dallas Stars have banned the ticket buyer linked to a Nazi salute incident during a game.
  • The franchise emphasized its commitment to creating a safe and inclusive environment at the arena.
  • An investigation was conducted following the viral video, which showed fans performing the salute during a goal celebration.

The Dallas Stars have taken action against the alleged Nazi salute incident at the American Airlines Center on December 21, 2025. Recently, video footage of the men using the repugnant symbol to cheer a goal during a home game at the American Airlines Center (AAC) against the Toronto Maple Leafs had sparked outrage online.

The Stars have banned the man who bought the tickets for the controversial spectators from attending any games at the venue. In a statement released on Monday, the management noted that such kind of discriminatory behavior won’t be tolerated at the venue and upheld their responsibility in creating and sustaining inclusive, safe, and respectful environments.

The clip, around 12 seconds long, surfaced first on Reddit before being deleted and later was reposted on X. In the aforementioned clip, several male fans seated in the upper deck were seen performing what appears to be the gesture in unison, timed to “Puck Off” by Pantera, the official team’s goal celebration song.

Here’s the clip:

The Stars conducted an investigation, after which the man who bought the tickets has been intimated of the indefinite ban.

The franchise has also said that it will be increasing the in-arena messaging about the Fan Code of Conduct. This also includes “how fans can report violations, along with prioritizing staff training to identify and handle situations that arise.”

Neo-Nazism has increased in the last few years, mostly under Donald Trump‘s second term, with far-right activists actively working the chatrooms. Elon Musk, who played a significant role in Trump’s re-election and his cabinet during the initial months, appeared to performing this gesture during the president’s inauguration speech. The non-action to Musk’s actions, and as per left wing commentators, the rising alleged fascism in the country, have further accelerated a normalization of the movement.

Dallas Stars set to face Minnesota Wild in Stanley Cup first-round playoff

The Colorado Avalanche team has clinched the Central Division following their 3-1 win over the St. Louis Blues. The Avalanche clinching the division has locked the Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild into second and third-place spot fights, meaning that they will face each other in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Valeri Nichushkin scored twice and Martin Necas (in picture) added one against the St. Blues on Tuesday to clinch the Western Conference top seed (Image via WWLP)
Valeri Nichushkin scored twice and Martin Necas (in picture) added one against the St. Blues on Tuesday to clinch the Western Conference top seed (Image via WWLP)

The Stars and Wild previously featured in the first round playoffs in 2023, only their second time playing each other in playoffs. In the 2023 series, after trailing 2-1 in the seven-game series, the Stars won three straight games to wrap things early. They defeated the Seattle Kraken in the second-round and advanced to the Western Conference Finals, where eventual champions Vegas Golden Knights knocked them out.

Since 2022-23, the Stars have made the WCF twice, losing to the Edmonton Oilers on both accounts. The Stars, headlined by the likes of Jason Robertson and Olympic gold medalist Jake Oettinger, are once again in the playoff race, hoping to finally end their almost three-decade long wait for the championship.

The Utah Mammoth are 14 points behind Wild, with one game in hand, who sits in third place. With just about five games, Mammoth cannot overtake Wild for the third spot from Central. However, the competition for home-ice advantage is well and alive between Minnesota and Dallas.

Both teams have three games left to play, with the former leading by two points. The Stars play the Wild in their next game followed by games against the New York Rangers and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Meanwhile, Minnesota plays the Nashville Predators and the Blues following their game against the Stars. While it’s hard to predict how the games would go, on paper, it seems that both the teams can scoop up two easy wins. In case if the Wild and Stars are tied on points, the Stars will have the advantage as they have won five more games in regulation time than the Wild.

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