Brind'Amour says Peters physically abused Hurricanes players

Rod Brind'Amour corroborated allegations that Calgary Flames bench boss Bill Peters physically abused his players while head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes from 2014-2018.

"You know with Bill, it for sure happened, the two issues that are in question," Brind'Amour, the Hurricanes' current head coach, said Tuesday regarding the allegations. Brind'Amour was an assistant coach on Peters' staff during that time.

Former Hurricanes defenseman Michal Jordan tweeted Tuesday that Peters kicked him and punched other players on the bench, and the coach later acted like nothing happened.

"He kicked me pretty hard in the back during a game," Jordan told TSN's Frank Seravalli. "Even the trainers and the other guys saw it."

Jordan insists there were multiple altercations between Peters and his players.

Carolina's leadership group and other staff members made the incidents known to then-general manager Ron Francis, according to ABC11's Mark Armstrong. Despite that, no changes were made, and Francis' decision to keep Peters as head coach tarnished close relationships spanning decades, The Athletic's Sara Civian adds.

Francis was hired as the general manager of the NHL's expansion Seattle club this past summer.

Flames general manager Brad Treliving said Tuesday that the team launched an investigation into allegations of Peters using a racial slur toward former NHLer Akim Aliu while the two were with the AHL's Rockford IceHogs 10 years ago.

Two former teammates of Aliu have since corroborated his account.

Peters will not be behind the bench when the Flames take on the Buffalo Sabres Wednesday night. Instead, assistant coach Geoff Ward will assume coaching duties.