Former Rockford IceHogs player Aliu accuses ex-coach Peters of using racial slur
Former Rockford IceHogs player Akim Aliu has accused then-coach Bill Peters of using racial slurs during the 2009-10 season.
After a series of tweets Monday explaining what happened, the 30-year-old Aliu spoke to TSN Senior Hockey Reporter Frank Seravalli about the alleged incident.
Aliu said that Peters used several racial slurs in reference to Aliu playing hip-hop music.
Aliu, a second-round draft pick of the Blackhawks, scored 11 goals in 48 games for Rockford before being demoted to the ECHL's Toledo Walleye. He had 1 goal and 1 assist in his final 10 games with the IceHogs.
Simon Pepin and Peter MacArthur, Aliu's teammates at the time, confirmed the allegations to TSN, saying they were in the room at the time.
Peters led the Calgary Flames to the top seed in the Western Conference last season and coached the IceHogs from 2008-10. He did not address the media after the Flames' overtime loss Monday in Pittsburgh and was not on the ice during the team's practice Tuesday in Buffalo.
Calgary GM Brad Treliving told reporters that the team is investigating the matter.
"Allegations of this matter we take very, very seriously," Treliving said. "This is a subject matter that has no place in our organization."
Here is what Aliu tweeted Monday: "Not very surprising the things we're hearing about (Mike) Babcock. Apple doesn't fall far from the Tree ... (Peters) dropped the (racial slur) several times towards me in the dressing room in my rookie year because he didn't like my choice of music.
"First one to admit I rebelled against him. Wouldn't you? And instead of remedying the situation, he wrote a letter to John McDonough and Stan Bowman to have me sent down to the ECHL. 20 year old on pace for 20 goals in his first pro year with zero PP/PK time ..."
A request to speak with McDonough and Bowman was "respectfully declined."
The team released a statement that read: "The alleged actions by a former coach toward Akim Aliu while with the Rockford IceHogs are something we take seriously. The purported incident had not been reported or brought to our attention prior to yesterday and had no effect on any player-personnel decision regarding Mr. Aliu."
According to Seravalli, Aliu now lives in the Greater Toronto Area and is a free agent after spending part of last season with the Orlando Solar Bears.
Slap shots:
Patrick Kane has compiled point streaks of 10 or more games six times. Only Sidney Crosby (9) has more among active players. … Olli Maatta's goal against Dallas on Saturday was just the defenseman's second in 100 games. Before that drought, he had 5 goals in 32 previous games. … Calvin de Haan played in his 400th game Tuesday. Duncan Keith's 1,100th game came Saturday in Dallas. … Heading into Tuesday's game, the Hawks were averaging 30.7 shots on goal while allowing a league-high 37.0. … The Hawks ranked 28th on the power play with just a 12.5-percent success rate (9-for-72).