NHL’s Flames Fire Coach Bill Peters for Hurling N-Word at Black Player

The NHL investigation into Flames coach Bill Peters using the n-word was pretty swift and decisive — the team fired him Friday morning.

The probe started 4 days ago, when former NHL player Akim Aliu, who is black, tweeted about Peters managing him on a minor league team in 2009. Aliu said Peters walked into the Rockford Ice Hogs locker room and complained about his pre-game music choices — saying, “Hey, Akim, I’m sick of you playing that n***** s**t.”

Aliu says Peters added, “I’m sick of hearing this n*****s f**king other n*****s in the ass stuff.”

Flames general manager Brad Treliving addressed it immediately after Aliu’s tweets, and said the team took the allegation very seriously and would be investigating.

Peters didn’t deny the incident, and wrote an apology letter to the Flames. He said the “statement was made in a moment of frustration and does not reflect my personal values.”

Peters also claims he apologized to Aliu and the whole team shortly after making the remarks.