2 players corroborate Aliu's expanded account of Peters using slur
Warning: Story contains offensive language
Akim Aliu went into further detail about the racial slur he says Bill Peters directed toward him 10 years ago.
On Monday, Aliu accused the Calgary Flames head coach of hurling the N-word at him multiple times due to the player's choice of music while with the AHL's Rockford IceHogs in 2009-10. The former NHLer elaborated to TSN's Frank Seravalli.
"He walked in before a morning pregame skate and said, 'Hey Akim, I'm sick of you playing that n----- shit,'" Aliu said. "He said, 'I'm sick of hearing this n-----s f------ other n-----s in the ass stuff.'
"He then walked out like nothing ever happened," Aliu continued. "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."
Two of Aliu's former IceHogs teammates who were in the room, Simon Pepin and Peter MacArthur, corroborated his account to TSN on Tuesday.
"I think everyone should be held accountable for their actions or words spoken," Pepin said.
Aliu also said that then-Rockford captain Jake Dowell confronted Peters about the event. Dowell wouldn't comment, but he said he would cooperate with any NHL or Flames investigation.
According to Aliu, Peters called him into his office to discuss the incident, but instead of apologizing, the bench boss reiterated his displeasure with Aliu's musical selection.
"You know, I’m just sick of this n----- shit," Peters said, according to Aliu. "It’s every day. From now on, we need to play different music."
Later on Tuesday, Flames general manager Brad Treliving told reporters that an investigation into the matter was ongoing and that Peters had not been fired.
Aliu, 30, played seven NHL games - all with the Flames - from 2011-13. He spent parts of 11 seasons in the AHL and ECHL.