Bill Peters named head coach of Lethbridge Hurricanes

[TheScorpion]

Rod Pedersen reported it this afternoon.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1517248213547249664

We had also been working on this story over at FlamesNation since yesterday and we have some additional details:

https://flamesnation.ca/2022/04/21/b...prairie-storm/

Peters’ hiring comes in the wake of discussions between the Storm and both the AJHL and Hockey Canada; sources indicate neither governing body has moved, at this point, to prevent the Storm from hiring the 55-year-old coach.

According to sources familiar with the situation in Grande Prairie, Peters will be joined by his 17-year-old son, Ayden, with the Storm. Ayden Peters played the 2021–22 season with the Calgary Edge School and was listed by the Storm as an affiliate player in January.

[midniteowl]

How can a guy with his abusive history get a job coaching kids?

[Vinny01]

Bill Peters should just retire he shouldn’t be coaching in North America again. Brutal cosch anyway

[Plaedo]

If you don't allow him to redeem himself then you'll never get rid of racism. I'm always rooting for redemption stories... However, I wonder if he has gone through appropriate training, education, and has the disposition to change? Hopefully it is the case, and he's not just being hired because of his connections.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Some parents may pull their kids from that team.

[Cole436]

I struggle with this. My gut tells me he shouldn’t be coaching high level hockey again, especially with kids. But without giving people the chance to become better and believing in their ability to change, we perpetuate a cycle of punishment and pain with no end. How can ever expect people to get better if we don’t give them the chance to try?

I’m torn.

[Reggie Dunlop]

How much does an AJHL coach make? Maybe $50,000/year?

[Redrum]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

How much does an AJHL coach make? Maybe $50,000/year?

Can't say for sure, but my full-time 7th grade math teacher was also the local AJHL head coach.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

How much does an AJHL coach make? Maybe $50,000/year?

No shot.

[Mightyfire89]

Seems distasteful to allow this guy to be an authority figure working with developing young minds. Makes me queasy

[btimbit]

On the bright side, his time in Russia will have him ready to live in GP

[Strange Brew]

I’m all for second, third and fourth chances. I just hope he has done something to earn them.

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by midniteowl

How can a guy with his abusive history get a job coaching kids?

Somebody offered him a job I would guess.

[SportsJunky]

Hey Bill! We play both kinds of music in our dressing room. We got the Country and the Western!

[indes]

If he has reformed, we can be pretty sure living in Grande Prairie will undo any of that change and he'll probably come out worse...in a jacked up Denali HD no doubt.

[Yamer]

GP is a pretty good place to make a living away from it all, to be genuine.

Besides: mistake, exile, retribution, understanding, redemption.

Grande Prairie.

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by Plaedo

If you don't allow him to redeem himself then you'll never get rid of racism. I'm always rooting for redemption stories... However, I wonder if he has gone through appropriate training, education, and has the disposition to change? Hopefully it is the case, and he's not just being hired because of his connections.

Has he shown he has changed? Has he shown he has taken classes to help him change. Are we sure we want to let him coach a bunch of young kids to find out if he has change? I'm all for redemption story as well, but he hasn't shown sign that he has changed. I haven't been following his story after he resigned, did he even apologize for what he did? If people don't first acknowledge they did was wrong, chances are, they won't change. That just my humble opinion.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Cole436

I struggle with this. My gut tells me he shouldn’t be coaching high level hockey again, especially with kids. But without giving people the chance to become better and believing in their ability to change, we perpetuate a cycle of punishment and pain with no end. How can ever expect people to get better if we don’t give them the chance to try?

I’m torn.

I'm not torn nor would I pull my kids if they were enrolled for the team. Unless he's a total lost cause I imagine he's going to be on his best behaviour as there's not really a lot of room for him to slip up under the magnifying glass he will be under. He made some mistakes a long time ago and he's paid for that with the loss of his professional coaching career and now he's just trying to move forward as best he can. He's a good hockey coach and hopefully he has realized that the way he conducts himself and being a positive influence on young players trumps winning hockey games.

[Boblobla]

The NHL investigation into him was never completed correct? Has he ever spoken about the incident with any sort of remorse?

[Beatle17]

Originally Posted by Boblobla

The NHL investigation into him was never completed correct? Has he ever spoken about the incident with any sort of remorse?

Does he owe you an apology?