Apology not enough
Calgary coach’s first accuser plans to talk to NHL
Controversy continues to engulf Calgary Flames coach Bill Peters.
Akim Aliu is not happy with the apology Calgary Flames coach Bill Peters issued for a racial slur he allegedly used when both were in the minors 10 years ago.
The former NHL player released his own statement Thursday on Twitter, saying he found Peters’ statement acknowledging that he used offensive language to be “misleading, insincere and concerning.” Aliu also said he has accepted an invitation from the NHL to discuss the situation and will not make any further comments until after the meeting.
Peters issued a letter Wednesday night to multiple media outlets, apologizing to the Flames and general manager Brad Treliving. The letter did not mention the Nigerian-born Aliu or specify the words Peter used. He called it an “isolated and immediately regrettable incident.”
The statement drew criticism on social media.
Former NHL player Georges Laraque tweeted: “The @NHLFlames and the @NHL can now finally conclude their investigation and fire him, what more can they need after this...?”
Aliu tweeted Monday that Peters directed racial slurs toward him when both were with the American Hockey League’s Rockford IceHogs, the Chicago Blackhawks’ top farm team, in 2009-10. Aliu said Peters “dropped the N bomb several times” because he didn’t like the player’s choice of music.
Peters did not coach the Flames Wednesday night when Calgary won in Buffalo against the Sabres. Afterward, Treliving said the Flames’ investigation was ongoing.
The Flames were scheduled to be off Thursday before returning to practice Friday in Calgary.
Their next game is Saturday, when they will face the visiting Ottawa Senators.
Blues
St. Louis placed former Penguins forward Oskar Sundqvist on injured reserve with a lower-body injury sustained in the Blues’ 4-3 victory Wednesday against Tampa Bay. Sundqvist, 25, has 12 points (eight goals, four assists) in 26 games this season.
The Swedish native was acquired by the Blues from the Penguins in June 2017.
The Blues will face the visiting Penguins Saturday night.
Meanwhile, St. Louis recalled forward Austin Poganski from San Antonio of the AHL to fill Sundqvist’s roster spot.
Elsewhere
Matthew Tkachuk watched Carolina’s Andrei Svechnikov from 20 feet away and knew something special was about to happen.
Svechnikov picked the puck up behind the net, cradled it on the end of his stick and rammed it past the goaltender from behind the net. Someone in the NHL actually pulled off the lacrosse-style move made famous by Mike Legg in a college game in 1996. Tkachuk was impressed.
“I had the best seat in the house,” the Calgary forward said. “That was a sick, sick goal. You see a lot of guys try it around the league, but nobody’s been able to perfect it yet like him.”
Tkachuk knew what the Hurricanes’ forward was going to do because he has practiced the move many times before and tried it in games. And two nights later, he one-upped Svechnikov by scoring an overtime winner through his legs at full speed.
“A lot of these kids now, they’re growing up trying these moves, practicing these moves,” Vegas forward Cody Eakin said.
“Skill work has been such a huge part of kids’ development now that when there is opportunities or time or space, they can get creative. When there’s room and the guys have the skill to make the plays, there’s some fantastic plays being made out there.”
Some NHL players think goals like Svechnikov’s happen once a decade.
Maybe not, not with so many players around the league watching and eager to figure out the next cool way to go viral. Arizona’s Clayton Keller and Montreal’s Nick Suzuki, for example, check out the highlights every day and take those inspirations to the rink.
Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov is a little bit older but still turns to YouTube to get his fix of beautiful plays across soccer and hockey. He appreciates the green light from coaches and very quickly calculates the risk/reward of doing something unusual.
“You actually don’t have time to think about it out there,” Kuznetsov said.
“You just do it naturally. I feel like every player is different.
“I was like that since a kid, and for me, it’s kind of what hockey’s about.”