Flames Fire Head Coach Bill Peters After Accusations of Racist Outburst
By Chris Russo
The Calgary Flames have made a decision in the wake of their investigation into alleged past racist comments made by head coach Bill Peters towards his players
Four days after the allegations first came to light, the Flames have acted and fired Peters.
I can confirm that Bill Peters has been fired as coach of the Calgary Flames, four days after a former player came forward and said the coach directed racial epithets toward him while they were in the minors 10 years ago.
— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) November 29, 2019
Flames will have a news conference at 12:30 pm ET
Peters was in the midst of his second season as the team's head coach when former NHL player Akim Aliu accused him of saying racial slurs multiple times in a minor league locker room 10 years ago.
Peters reportedly said the N-word multiple times in demanding Aliu turn off the hip hop music he was playing in the locker room. Not only did players corroborate Aliu's story after he made it public four days ago, but former Carolina Hurricanes player Michal Jordán also then alleged that Peters kicked him and punched another player in the head during a game.
1) Never wish anything bad to the person but you get what you deserve Bill.After years making it to the NHL had experience with the worst coach ever by far.Kicking me and punching other player to the head during the game...
— Michal Jordan (@TheBigCzech23) November 26, 2019
Peters coached Aliu with the AHL's Rockford IceHogs, and coached Jordán with the Hurricanes from 2014-2016.
Aliu also said he avoided discussing the issue initially because he believes it may have cost him his job in the game. Aliu ended up playing seven NHL games with, coincidentally, the Calgary Flames in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons.