Bill Peters Resigns as Flames HC After Admitting Using Racial Slur to Akim Aliu

Bill Peters has stepped down as head coach of the Calgary Flames after admitting he used racial slurs toward a player in the American Hockey League while coaching the Rockford IceHogs. 

Flames general manager Brad Treliving announced Friday that Peters tendered his resignation:

Akim Aliu played for the Chicago Blackhawks' AHL affiliate from 2008-10, and he wrote on Twitter on Monday that an unnamed coaching "protege" of Mike Babcock directed racial slurs at him:

Per the Chicago Tribune, Babcock, who was fired by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Nov. 20, has been a mentor to Peters since serving as his coach at Red Deer College.

Speaking to TSN's Frank Seravalli, Aliu provided additional details about Peters' use of the racial slurs in reference to the music Aliu played in the team's locker room during the 2009-10 season with the IceHogs: 

"He walked in before a morning pre-game skate and said 'Hey Akim, I'm sick of you playing that n----r s--t.' He said 'I'm sick of hearing this n----rs f--king other n----rs in the ass stuff.'

"He then walked out like nothing ever happened. You could hear a pin drop in the room, everything went dead silent. I just sat down in my stall, didn't say a word."

Simon Pepin and Peter MacArthur, Aliu's teammates at the time, corroborated Aliu's recounting of events to Seravalli. 

On Wednesday, Peters sent a letter to Treliving apologizing for the remarks, per TSN's Bob McKenzie:

However, Aliu disputed the sincerity of Peters' apology, while Seravalli noted parts of Peters' statement didn't match Aliu's recollection of events nor address allegations made against him from his time with the Carolina Hurricanes:

When Aliu's allegations were made, the NHL said in a statement it would investigate the situation: "The behavior that has been alleged is repugnant and unacceptable. We will have no further comment until we have had an opportunity to look into the matter more thoroughly."

Treliving addressed Peters' status with the organization Nov. 26:

Peters, 53, was in his second season with the Flames. He went 50-25-7 in 2018-19, and their 107 points were the second-most in franchise history (117 in 1988-89). 

Prior to being hired by the Flames, Peters spent the previous four seasons with the Hurricanes. On Wednesday, Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour—an assistant of Peters during his time with the Hurricanes—corroborated allegations from the team's former player Michal Jordan that Peters kicked and punched Jordan and another Hurricanes player during a game.

Aliu was a second-round draft pick by the Blackhawks in 2007. He has spent most of his career in various professional hockey leagues around the world, but he did play seven games for the Flames between the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons.