Bill Peters has resigned as head coach of the Calgary Flames in the wake of allegations made by former player Akim Aliu on social media.
Flames general manager Brad Treliving made the announcement during a news conference on Friday. Treliving also named Geoff Ward as the Flames’ interim head coach.
Ward is a Waterloo native and a former head coach of the Kitchener Rangers.
On Monday night, Aliu alleged on Twitter that Peters had directed a racial slur toward him “several times” while the two were together in the AHL. Aliu played for Peters when he was head coach of the Rockford IceHogs, Chicago’s AHL affiliate, for five games in the 2008-09 season and 48 games in 2009-10. Aliu also appeared in 13 games for the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye in ’09-10.
Since the allegation, Peters has not run a practice for the Flames and was not on the bench for their Wednesday night game in Buffalo. He also did not join the team on their charter flight back to Calgary.
During Calgary’s game against Buffalo, Peters released an apology to the Flames in regards to the incident involving Aliu, though he did not mention him by name.
On Thursday morning, Aliu issued a statement responding to Peters’ letter.
with files from Blair Adams
