Calgary Flames head coach Bill Peters apologized to his team and general manager in a letter Wednesday night, some 48 hours after a former player alleged he directed racist comments at him when both were in the minors 10 years ago.
In a letter addressed to Flames GM Brad Treliving released to multiple news outlets, Peters said he used B次元官网网址漮ffensive language B次元官网网址� in a professional setting a decade ago.B次元官网网址�
Peters called it an B次元官网网址渋solated and immediately regrettable incident.B次元官网网址�
Peters was not with the Flames in Buffalo for their game against the Sabres on Wednesday as the team continued to investigate the allegations.
B次元官网网址淭he statement was made in a moment of frustration and does not reflect my personal values,B次元官网网址� Peters wrote.
B次元官网网址淎fter the incident, I was rightfully challenged about my use of language, and I immediately returned to the dressing room to apologize to the team. I have regretted the incident since it happened, and I now also apologize to anyone negatively affected by my words.B次元官网网址�
Former NHLer Akim Aliu tweeted Monday that Peters directed racial slurs towards him when both were with the American Hockey LeagueB次元官网网址檚 Rockford IceHogs B次元官网网址� the Chicago BlackhawksB次元官网网址� top farm team B次元官网网址� in 2009-10.
Born in Nigeria and raised in Ukraine and Canada, Aliu never referred to Peters by name, but used CalgaryB次元官网网址檚 airport code B次元官网网址淵YCB次元官网网址� when writing about the alleged coach who B次元官网网址渄ropped the N bomb several times towards me in the dressing room in my rookie year because he didnB次元官网网址檛 like my choice of music.B次元官网网址�
Another former player alleged Peters kicked him and punched a teammate when they were all with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Aliu has not responded to interview requests from The Canadian Press.
Peters did not specifically apologize to Aliu in his letter.
Treliving confirmed to reporters after WednesdayB次元官网网址檚 game that he had received the letter from Peters.
B次元官网网址淲e want to make sure we are doing a thorough job and looking under every stone, rock, and doing all the things that need to be done. So the letter tonight is part of this that we will obviously review,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd IB次元官网网址檓 hopeful that we will have an update for you tomorrow.B次元官网网址�
Peters remained employed by the Flames as of Wednesday night.
The Flames did their best to distance themselves from the controversy swirling around the head coach before the game in Buffalo.
Matthew Tkachuk started his morning media availability by stating he would only take questions about hockey.
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But Hurricanes head coach Rod BrindB次元官网网址橝mour, who spent four seasons behind CarolinaB次元官网网址檚 bench with Peters, added to the intense scrutiny by confirming his boss confronted players in a physical manner.
B次元官网网址淚t for sure happened, the two issues that are in question,B次元官网网址� BrindB次元官网网址橝mour told reporters in New York before his teamB次元官网网址檚 game against the Rangers.
Former Hurricanes defenceman Michal Jordan, who now plays overseas, made the allegation Tuesday on Twitter.
B次元官网网址淣ever wish anything bad to the person but you get what you deserve Bill,B次元官网网址� Jordan said. B次元官网网址淜icking me and punching other player to the head during the game then pretending like nothing happenedB次元官网网址ouldnB次元官网网址檛 believe my eyes.B次元官网网址�
While BrindB次元官网网址橝mour confirmed JordanB次元官网网址檚 story, he said he was B次元官网网址減roudB次元官网网址� of the way those incidents were handled by both the players and management.
B次元官网网址淚t was definitely dealt with, in my opinion, correctly,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址漌eB次元官网网址檝e definitely moved past that.B次元官网网址�
Peters, who is in his second season with the Flames after four years in Carolina, did not mention that incident in his apology letter.
Associate coach Geoff Ward ran the bench against the Sabres in PetersB次元官网网址� absence.
B次元官网网址淲e all feel for everybody involved,B次元官网网址� Ward said before the game. B次元官网网址滻tB次元官网网址檚 not a perfect situation, but IB次元官网网址檓 not going to stand here and try to put words in peopleB次元官网网址檚 mouths. WeB次元官网网址檒l see what happens when the investigation is concluded.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淥ur job is to go out there and play,B次元官网网址� Tkachuk said of how the situation is impacting the players. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 all (the teamB次元官网网址檚) been stressing to us.B次元官网网址�
Backlund said he was surprised by the allegations against Peters, who helped Calgary to the NHLB次元官网网址檚 second-best record last season with 107 points.
B次元官网网址淏illB次元官网网址檚 been great to me and the group,B次元官网网址� Backlund said. B次元官网网址漀othing bad to say about Bill.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淢y relationshipB次元官网网址檚 been good,B次元官网网址� Calgary centre Sean Monahan added. B次元官网网址漀o problems. Right now I want to talk about hockey, and thatB次元官网网址檚 it.B次元官网网址�
Sabres winger Jeff Skinner, who played for Peters with the Hurricanes and spoke before BrindB次元官网网址橝mour commented in New York, chose his words carefully when asked about his former coach.
B次元官网网址淗e was fine with me,B次元官网网址� Skinner said. B次元官网网址漁bviously, thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of stuff going on. IB次元官网网址檓 sure Calgary will get to the bottom of it.B次元官网网址�
The allegations levied against Peters and the revelation of some questionable motivational tactics used by former Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock have raised questions about how people in positions of power deal with players in todayB次元官网网址檚 game.
The Toronto Sun and Postmedia reported Babcock, who was fired last week, asked a rookie to draw up a list during the 2016-17 season that ranked his teammates from hardest- to least-hardest working. Babcock then shared that list with some of the veterans at the bottom of the ledger.
It was later revealed the rookie in question was star winger Mitch Marner, who struggled at times under Babcock during his first season.
Peters served as BabcockB次元官网网址檚 assistant with the Western Hockey LeagueB次元官网网址檚 Spokane Chiefs in the late 1990s. He was named RockfordB次元官网网址檚 head coach in 2008-09 and would spend three seasons with the IceHogs.
He then rejoined Babcock as an assistant with the Detroit Red Wings from 2011-12 to 2013-14 before getting hired by Carolina.
In one of his tweets, Aliu referred to Peters as BabcockB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址減rotege.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 going to be relationships that didnB次元官网网址檛 go well,B次元官网网址� Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice said Tuesday. B次元官网网址漌hen youB次元官网网址檙e constantly pushing to a threshold to get the most out of players in an intense environment, youB次元官网网址檙e going to have situations where players feel they should have been handled differently, or they didnB次元官网网址檛 like it. You do the best you can.
B次元官网网址淭here is a real awareness over the last year or two, certainly on our staff B次元官网网址� to be more understanding, maybe, of young players B次元官网网址� more caring, possibly.B次元官网网址�
One of BabcockB次元官网网址檚 assistants in Toronto, Senators head coach D.J. Smith, said Wednesday he leads the way he wanted to be motivated back when he was player.
B次元官网网址淵ou can be hard on guys, but youB次元官网网址檝e got to make sure that their mental well-being is (of) the utmost (importance),B次元官网网址� Smith told reporters in Ottawa. B次元官网网址滻 donB次元官网网址檛 believe youB次元官网网址檙e going to get anything out of the player unless he feels mentally that heB次元官网网址檚 all-in with you. ThereB次元官网网址檚 a fine line with that, but the cultureB次元官网网址檚 certainly changed. Players are different, people are different.
B次元官网网址淲hat was acceptable years ago is not acceptable anymore. And certainly itB次元官网网址檚 changed for the better.B次元官网网址�
Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
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