On a day when some of its 22 teams had players report to training camps, the WHL found itself in the middle of a firestorm on Wednesday after the Lethbridge Hurricanes announced the hiring of Bill Peters as head coach.
Peters takes over from Brent Kisio, who left the organization after eight seasons on Aug. 10 and now is an assistant coach with the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights.
The firestorm actually began on Tuesday night, a week after I had posted here that Peters was the leading candidate to be named the Hurricanes’ head coach.
First, Frank Seravalli of @HockeyFaceoff posted to X, formerly known as Twitter: “Following up on Gregg’s report that Bill Peters is potentially next head coach in WHL Lethbridge. Checked in with Akim Aliu, who said Peters has still not apologized — 13 years after the incident, and nearly 4 years after it became public and cost him his NHL head coaching job.” He has 289.7K followers.
Shortly after, Greg Wyshynski of ESPN posted to his 229.2K followers that Peters could be named head coach “as early as” Wednesday. He also wrote that “it’s my understanding that Peters only sought an audience with Aliu last week through a third party, apparently in anticipation of this job opportunity.”
And with that the dam broke as comments poured in, the vast majority of them negative.
Sunaya Sapurji, a longtime junior hockey observer and writer now with The Athletic, posted: “Just had a source reach out to confirm @gdrinnan’s report. This is gross on so many levels. I have a hard time believing there isn’t a good young coach (or an old one) deserving of an opportunity to coach ‘junior’ without the baggage. Honestly, why would you do this?”
(For more, if you’re on X just search for Bill Peters.)
Peters, 58, hasn’t coached in North America since resigning as head coach of the NHL’s Calgary Flames on Nov. 29, 2019. That followed accusations by former player Akim Aliu that Peters had directed racist comments at him while both were with the Rockford IceHogs, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks, in 2009-10.
Writing on Twitter, Aliu said Peters, Rockford’s head coach, had “dropped the N bomb several times towards me in the dressing room in my rookie year because he didn’t like my choice of music.”
After leaving Calgary, Peters joined Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg of the KHL as head coach on April 15, 2020. He was fired on Nov. 30, 2022.
In the almost four years since leaving the Flames, Peters hadn’t apologized to Aliu. On Wednesday, Aliu released a statement on X stating that he recently had heard from an unidentified NHL coach who was attempting “to broker an apology” from Peters. In the statement, Aliu wrote that “I don’t feel that I have anything to say to Bill at this point.”
On Wednesday, a teary-eyed Peters addressed the news conference in Lethbridge, starting with:
“To Akim, I apologize. I did not recognize the impact of my words. I was uneducated in my use of inappropriate language. I take ownership of my actions, I regret my choice of words. I failed to create a safe space for the team, and I’m deeply sorry.”
Peters also did a stint as head coach of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes (2014-18). Michal Jordán, who played with Carolina then, later alleged that Peters had kicked him and also had punched another player in the head during a game.
Rod Brind’Amour, an assistant coach with Carolina then, has confirmed those allegations. He now is the Hurricanes’ head coach.
Meanwhile, there were statements aplenty at Wednesday’s Lethbridge news conference. And as you might expect everyone was singing from the same hymnal.
According to the Hurricanes, “Peters has completed the Anti-Racism Training and Coaching Certification program with guidance through Shades of Humanity Consulting — a national diversity, equity and inclusion agency, helping companies build diverse and inclusive organizations as well as providing leadership coaching, culture development strategies, anti-racism education and equity informed policy design.”
The team said that he “will continue to partake in anti-racism coaching, equity training, and further educational initiatives prescribed by Shades of Humanity Consulting.”
Peters, in his statement, said he worked with Shades of Humanity “to understand and correct my regrettable actions. I have learned a lot through this educational journey and feel ready to return to coaching. I am in a unique position to guide our next generation of community leaders and to establish a more inclusive culture in hockey.”
Ron Robison, the outgoing WHL commissioner, attended the news conference. In a statement, he offered: “After a thorough review, speaking with representatives from Shades of Humanity, and receiving a commitment from Bill to continue on his path of anti-racism, self-growth and redemption, the WHL is satisfied Bill is ready to return to coaching in the WHL. The journey towards individual and systemic equity learning should be viewed as an ongoing process. Bill has demonstrated that through this process and the WHL remains committed to systemic change through continued education.”
Later in the day, Aliu told John Chidley-Hill of The Canadian Press that no one from the WHL or the Hurricanes had spoken with him. (That story is right here.)
“I think the WHL and the Hurricanes should have contacted myself and Michal Jordan, the victims of Bill Peters, and had a conversation,” said Aliu. “I’m just mind boggled how you can take the word of a racist and abusive person and the fact that he’s telling you he has changed when you haven’t spoken with the folks that have been affected by it.
“That’s just a huge lack of leadership on the behalf of WHL president Ron Robison and the Lethbridge Hurricanes as a whole.”
Peters has had two other WHL coaching stints, both with the Spokane Chiefs. He was an assistant coach for three seasons (1999-02) and their head coach for three seasons (2005-08). He also spent three seasons (2002-05) as the head coach of the U of Lethbridge men’s hockey team.
The Hurricanes signed Peters to a multi-year contract, the length of which wasn’t divulged.
“Bill brings a high level of experience, having coached professionally in the AHL and NHL,” Peter Anholt, Lethbridge’s general manager, said in a news release. “His previous time in the WHL, which included a Memorial Cup championship in 2008, along with his experience coaching in Lethbridge with the Pronghorns, put him at the top of our candidate list. His addition will have a major impact on our team and our players’ and coaches development.”
Anholt, 62, who is about to start his 10th season as GM, also is heavily involved with Hockey Canada. He spent the past two seasons overseeing the country’s under-18 program. On March 22, Hockey Canada promoted him to the U-20 program. That means that he is in charge of the team that will be gunning for a third straight gold medal when the World Junior Championship opens in Goteborg, Sweden, on Dec. 26.
Sara Civ (@SaraCivian) — This is so important for understanding what the significance and reach of “boys club” really means when we talk about the NHL. It isn’t just that certain people get certain opportunities — it’s that those people then influence others in positions to give out other opportunities. (80.6K followers).
Jesse Marshall (@jmarshfof) — The fact that Bill Peters is going to be put in charge of a group of kids and young adults again after all of this is just absolutely insane to me. You’re telling me there isn’t one qualified person ahead of him that doesn’t have a chronic history of alleged abuse? (25.1K followers).
The other day, Paul Friesen of the Winnipeg Sun caught up with James Patrick, a WHL head coach for the past six seasons. Patrick spent the past four seasons as the head coach of the Winnipeg Ice and the two seasons before that with the Kootenay Ice. The Winnipeg franchise was sold and moved to Wenatchee, Wash., over the summer. Patrick, 60, has since joined the Victoria Royals as director of player development. . . . Patrick told Friesen that the sale of the Ice came as a surprise: “I wasn’t in the loop. . . . There were rumours all year long, and some of them were found to be just that, rumours. I was under the impression the team would be back for sure for another year.” . . . As for his coaching career, Patrick told Friesen that “it’s not over.” . . . Friesen’s column — and it’s a good read — is right here.
The Tri-City Americans have acquired F Jake Gudelj from the Spokane Chiefs in exchange for two WHL draft picks — a fifth-rounder in 2025 and a second in 2026. . . . From Vancouver, Gudelj, who won’t turn 18 until Dec. 5, had eight goals and assists in 68 games with the Chiefs as a sophomore last season. As a freshman, he put up three goals and three assists in 51 games. . . . He was Spokane’s scholastic player of the year each of the past two seasons. . . . The Chiefs selected him in the fourth round of the WHL’s 2020 draft.
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The Tri-City Americans and Jacobs Radio have agreed on a “multi-year partnership” that will have all regular-season and playoff games carried on 95.3 UROCK Radio. . . . The Americans made the announcement on Tuesday, also revealing that Craig West will return as the play-by-play voice, at least on an interim basis. West announced in April that he was moving into semi-retirement after call WHL games since 1990, with the Spokane Chiefs (1990-98) and the Americans (1998-2023). However, the Americans have yet to hire a new radio voice, so West will fill that role on an interim basis. As West posted on Facebook, along with a laughing emoji: “Just when you think you’re out, you’re back in.”
The Calgary Hitmen have named Gary Michalick as their director of scouting. A native of Winnipeg, Michalick was a long-time scout with the Brandon Wheat Kings before joining the Hitmen. He now is heading into his seventh season with Calgary. . . . Garry Davidson had been the director of scouting until being named director of hockey operations following the departure of general manager Jeff Chynoweth on July 15.
Robbie Sandland, a former director of player personnel and assistant general manager with the Kamloops Blazers, has joined the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins as an amateur scout. The Penguins made the announcement on Tuesday. . . . From Nanaimo, Sandland will spend most of his time scouting Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. He had been with the Blazers since 2018 when he signed on as a scout. He was named director of player personnel a year later and added the AGM title prior to last season.
Aaron Keller was named director of player personnel by the Kamloops Blazers on Wednesday. Keller played four seasons (1992-96) with the Blazers, helping them win the Memorial Cup in 1994 and again in 1995. . . . Keller has worked with the Blazers as a development coach since 2017 when returned to Kamloops from Japan where he played for 17 seasons and coached for three. For the past four years he also has been the Kamloops Minor Hockey Association’s technical director. . . . The Blazers also promoted Scott Blakeney, a B.C. scout, to senior head scout (B.C.) and added Brad Davis to their scouting staff as head scout (Manitoba). Blakeney is going into his fifth season with Kamloops. Davis spent the past 16 seasons with the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Jason Pashelka will be back for a fifth season as head scout (Alberta).
The AJHL’s Olds Grizzlys are in the market for a general manager and head coach after announcing on Monday that Scott Atkinson had “tendered his resignation effective immediately.” . . . According to the team, Atkinson left for “personal reasons.” . . . The team is expected to name an interim GM and interim head coach while searching for someone to fill both roles. . . . Atkinson had been with the team for three and a half years. . . . The Grizzlys are in the middle of training camp, having already played one exhibition game and with their first home game set for Friday.
The SJHL’s Yorkton Terriers announced on Saturday that they have signed Emery Olauson as their general manager and head coach. He had been the GM/head coach of the KIJHL’s Columbia Valley Rockies, who play out of Invermere. . . . Olauson, 42, replaces Mat Hehr, who left early in August to join the Northern Alberta XTreme program. . . . The Terriers also announced that assistant coaches Scott Musqua and Zach Rakochy will be returning.
Scott Gomez, a former WHL star with the Tri-City Americans, has joined the BCHL’s Surrey Eagles as an assistant coach. Gomez, 43, is from Anchorage. He played one season (1996-97) with Surrey, before spending two with the Americans. . . . Gomez then went on to an NHL career that included 1,079 regular-season games and two Stanley Cup titles.
PROGRAMMING NOTE:
I am stepping away from these writings and musings for the next while. In fact, at this time, I don’t know when, or even if, I will return. . . . I am wanting to get away from social media in the worst way and am looking forward to not feeling the need to turn on a computer. . . . Thanks for being here for all these years.
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the Winnipeg Ice a 3-2 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . That series is tied, 2-2, as the teams return to Winnipeg for Game 5 on Saturday night. . . . They are scheduled to play a sixth game in Moose Jaw on Monday night. . . . F Vladislav Shilo (2) gave the visitors a 1-0 lead at 8:22 of the first period. . . . The Warriors tied it at 12:57 as F Martin Rysavy (5) scored. . . . The Ice went back in front, 2-1, 50 seconds in to the second period on a goal from F Matt Savoie (8). . . . F Jagger Firkus (8) got the Warriors back even at 1:22 of the third period. . . . Ostapchuk scored his sixth goal of the playoffs at 11:56 of OT. . . . Winnipeg D Ben Zloty drew three assists. He has 13 points, all assists, in eight games. . . . The Ice was 1-for-2 on the PP; the Warriors were 0-for-1. . . . G Daniel Hauser earned the victory with 29 saves, nine fewer than Moose Jaw’s Connor Ungar. . . . The Warriors welcomed back F Robert Baco after he completed a three-game suspension for a goaltender interference major he took in Lethbridge on April 5. . . . The Ice was without F Evan Friesen, who completed a two-game suspension for a headshot on Moose Jaw D Matthew Gallant in Game 2. Gallant, who likely is in concussion protocol, hasn’t played since the hit. . . . 
period deficit en route to a 4-2 victory over the Red Deer Rebels. . . . The Rebels still hold a 3-1 series lead as the series goes back to Saskatoon for Game 5 on Friday night. . . . F Kai Uchacz, without a point in the first three games of this series. scored twice to give the Rebels a 2-0 first-period lead. A 50-goal man in the regular season, he has six goals in these playoffs. . . . D Aidan De La Gorgendiere (1) got the Saskatoon comeback started, on a PP, at 12:09 of the second period. . . . F Jayden Wiens (5) tied it at 4:12 of the third period and F Brandon Lisowsky (3) gave Saskatoon the lead 43 seconds later. . . . D Tanner Molendyk (1) added insurance at 8:15. . . . The Blades got 34 saves from G Ethan Chadwick. . . . Saskatoon F Justin Lies was tossed with a headshot major and game misconduct for a hit on Red Deer F Kalan Lind at 3:24 of the first period. Lind was down for several minutes before being removed on a stretcher. Lind was taken to Red Deer Regional Hospital where he underwent an examination before being released.
Western Conference final with an 8-2 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . The Thunderbirds swept their second straight series. They will meet either the Kamloops Blazers or Portland Winterhawks in the conference final. . . . The Thunderbirds outscored the Cougars, 25-5, in the four games. In eight playoffs games — they swept the Kelowna Rockets in the first round — the Thunderbirds have outscored the opposition, 39-8. Seattle has yet to allow more than two goals in a game in these playoffs. . . . Last night, four of Seattle’s first five goals came from skaters who scored for the first time in the eight-game run — F Sam Popowich, D Jeremy Hanzel, D Bryce Pickford and D Luke Prokop. . . . In all, the Thunderbirds got goals from eight different players, with F Colton Dach (2), F Mekei Sanders (2), F Reid Schaefer (3) and F Jared Davidson (5) also scoring. . . . Dach had two assists and was the only Seattle skater with three points. . . . Seattle F Brad Lambert, who put up six points in Game 3, had two assists in this one. He finished the four games with two goals and 12 helpers. . . . The Cougars had F Riley Heidt back from a one-game suspension, and he had two assists. . . . Prince George was without F Jaxsen Wiebe, who drew one of those TBD suspensions for a match penalty he incurred in Game 3. . . . F Zach Funk (5) and F Chase Wheatcroft (5) had the Cougars’ goals. . . . The Thunderbirds got 22 saves from G Thomas Milic, who now is 8-0, 1.13, .953. . . .
period turned out to be the winner as the Kamloops Blazers beat the Portland Winterhawks, 3-2. . . . Kamloops leads the series, 3-0, and can finish it tonight in Portland. . . . The Blazers are 7-0 in these playoffs. . . . F Jakub Demek (3) gave Kamloops a 1-0 lead at 9:48 of the first period. . . . F Jack O’Brien (3) pulled Portland even, on a PP, at 11:23. . . . F Logan Stankoven (8) gave the visitors a 2-1 lead, on a PP, at 4:35 of the second period, with Minten getting his second goal of the playoffs at 1:56 of the third period. . . . D Luca Cagnoni (1) got Portland to within a goal at 14:02 of the third period, but the Winterhawks weren’t able to equalize. . . . Kamloops was 2-for-3 on the PP; Portland was 1-for-4. . . . G Dylan Ernst stopped 23 shots for Kamloops, 10 fewer than Portland’s Jan Spunar. . . . Stankoven also had an assist, and now has 18 points in seven games. . . . He and F Jagger Firkus of the Moose Jaw Warriors are two points behind F Connor Bedard of the Regina Pats, who put up a WHL-leading 20 points in a seven-game loss to the Saskatoon Blades. . . . The Blazers drew a $250 fine from the WHL on Monday for a warmup violation prior to Game 1 on Friday in Kamloops. It was their second such fine in these playoffs; they also were fined $250 for a warmup violation prior to a first-round game against the host Vancouver Giants on April 4.
goals as they beat the Regina Pats, 4-1, in Game 7 of their first round series. . . . The Blades will open the second round at home to the Red Deer Rebels on Friday night. . . . This game was goalless until Saskatoon D Spencer Shugrue scored on a redirection off a 3-on-2 break with 13.3 seconds left in the second period. The 19-year-old Vancouver native had one goal and six assists in 55 regular-season games. He was pointless in the first six games of the series. . . . The Blades went ahead 2-0 at 7:56 of the third period when F Jake Chiasson (2) scored. . . . F Stanislav Svozil (4) got the Pats to within a goal at 13:10. . . . The Blades put it away on goals from F Vaughn Watterodt (3), at 17:50, and F Trevor Wong (3), into an empty net, at 18:11. . . . Wong finished the series with 10 points, as did Saskatoon F Egor Sidorov, who had five goals. . . . Saskatoon got 25 stops from G Austin Elliott, while Regina’s Drew Sim blocked 36. . . . Saskatoon was 0-for-2 on the PP to finish 5-for-18. Regina’s PP didn’t get on the ice in Game 7 and finished 5-for-14. . . . If you were wondering who was the WHL Supervisor for this game, it was Kevin Muench, the league’s veteran senior director of officiating. . . . The announced attendance at Monday’s game was 14,768. The four playoff games in Saskatoon drew 47,729 fans. The seven-game series finished with a total attendance of 67,226. . . . The Pats’ last six trips to Saskatoon drew 77,265 fans to SaskTel Centre.
WHL’s 2021 developmental season, the Lethbridge Hurricanes showed a profit of $72,250 for 2020-21. The team, which is publicly owned, revealed its financial statement at its annual general meeting on Monday night. . . . At its previous AGM, delayed by the pandemic and held virtually on Jan. 18, the shareholders had been told that in a worst-case scenario, there could be a $1.3-million loss for 2021. That was based on projected expenses of $1.7 million and revenues of $383,000. Obviously, the worst-case scenario didn’t happen. . . . A big part of being able to show a profit was government grant funding that came in at $668,000. . . . Terry Huisman, the team’s general manager of business operations, said that it cost the Hurricanes $850,000 to prepare for and play in 2021’s abbreviated schedule. . . . Dale Woodard of the Lethbridge Herald quoted Huisman as saying: “Had we not gotten that money we would have been probably right back to where we were when I started six years ago and we all know that wasn’t fun. So for me, I sit here and I’m happy about it, but there is a tremendous amount of work that went in behind the scenes. Not only just to secure that money, but also to make sure we ran as lean as possible and we capitalized on every opportunity to increase revenue.” . . . In the period from 2011-15, the Hurricanes lost more than $1.25 million. Starting with 2015-16 and running through 2018-19, the Hurricanes showed profits of $197,000, $737,710, $422,443 and $282,168. . . . With the 2019-20 season halted in March by the pandemic, the Hurricanes announced a loss of $1,030 at their 2020 AGM. . . . Woodard’s complete story is 
adjustments to its protocols. . . . The Oilers were without F Jesse Puljujarvi in a 3-0 victory over the Canadiens in Montreal after he tested positive. Edmonton also scratched G Mikko Koskinen for precautionary reasons. There is speculation that Koskinen was held out as a close contact. . . . The Ottawa Senators held D Artem Zub out of a 5-1 loss to the host Winnipeg Jets for precautionary reasons; however a COVID-19 test came back negative so he will be OK to play on Saturday. . . . Meanwhile, with five teams having experienced outbreaks and a total of 35 games having been postponed, the NHL has added to its protocols. One of the changes involves more game-day testing. The NHL also has moved to limit the outside activities of team members and their families. Here’s ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski: “All players, coaches, training staff, equipment staff and other members of the traveling party ‘will be required to remain at home and not leave their place of residence except to attend practices and games, to exercise outdoors on an individual basis, to perform essential activities (e.g., go to the doctor), or to deal with family or other emergencies and other extraordinary circumstances.’ The NHL also is ‘strongly recommending’ that household members limit their activities outside the home as well, and is encouraging teams to provide ways for household members to be tested for COVID-19 regularly.” . . . Wyshynski’s complete story is 
from April 26 through May 6. Frisco is home to the Dallas Stars’ practice arena — the Comerica Center — and offices. The Stars and USA Hockey are partnering on the production. . . . The host team, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany and Russia will play out of Frisco. . . . Canada will be in Plano, along with Belarus, Latvia, Sweden and Switzerland. . . . The U-18 world event hasn’t ever been held so late into a year. . . . It will be interesting to watch team construction prior to this event, because all 60 major junior teams could still be playing. . . . The 2020 event was to have been held in Ann Arbor and Plymouth, Mich., from April 16-26, but was cancelled by the pandemic. Originally, the 2021 event also was scheduled for Ann Arbor and Plymouth, but it obviously has been shifted to Texas.
League announced Friday night that they “have ceased operations for the remainder of the 2020-21 season after members of the organization tested positive for COVID-19.” . . . The Grizzlies learned on Tuesday that “a potential COVID-19 contact” had occurred at a player’s work place. . . . According to a team statement, “The player . . . subsequently tested positive . . . and additional team members have also since received positive test results.” . . . Here’s Ryan Parent, the Grizzlies’ general manager and head coach: “Earlier this week we elected to temporarily cancel team activities in an effort to keep our billet families, players and greater community safe. “In light of having received multiple positive test results, we have had to make another hard decision. It is with a heavy heart that we have ceased operations for the 2020-21 KIJHL season.” . . . The team’s release is 
given the OK by the Alberta government to play a few games starting in late February. . . . If all goes well, the league’s five Alberta teams will begin playing games on Feb. 26. A schedule has yet to be announced, but it’ll be weekends only — one team will have a bye, the other four will play two games in home-and-home series, something that will mean no hotel stays. . . . Staff and players are to begin self-quarantining today and report to their teams on Feb. 6. . . . If you missed it, the WHL’s news release is 
from Manny Viveiros, who now is the first head coach of the Henderson Silver Knights, an AHL expansion team that is owned by the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights. . . . Viveiros leaves Spokane after one season with the Chiefs. . . . Maglio, 34, is the WHL’s youngest head coach. He joined the Chiefs as an assistant coach for the 2019-20 season. Prior to that, he was with the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings, as an assistant (2015-17) and then head coach (2017-19). . . . Viveiros was an assistant coach with the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers in 2018-19, after two seasons as head coach and director of player personnel with the Swift Current Broncos. He guided the Broncos to the 2017-18 WHL championship. . . . Viveiros, 54, was 41-18-5 with the Chiefs when the 2020-21 season was halted by COVID-19. . . . Maglio is the Chiefs’ third head coach since 2017. Viveiros replaced Dan Lambert, who left after two seasons to join the NHL’s Nashville Predators as an assistant coach. . . . Lambert took over from Don Nachbaur, who spent seven seasons in Spokane before his contract wasn’t renewed after 2016-17.
TAKING NOTE 