How did the Team Handle the Bill Peters News?
Bill Peters always got on my nerves. Now I know why. The news that hit the NHL wavelengths these past couple of weeks have seem to hit the Carolina Hurricanes locker room pretty hard. After all of the 21 players on the roster, at least 10 of them have been coached by Peters at some point.
Just how bad it was or wasn’t will probably never be told. The question becomes are the players haunted by flashbacks of what did happen? Are others haunted by bad memories of other coaches who may or may not have played into the toxic environment of the NHL? How has Rod Brind’amour responded to players who may have been affected by Peters?
Most importantly, how have they responded to him and his statement that he was proud that they took it to management together and, while it may not appear to be anything on the surface to us, he felt that management, read Ron Francis, did the right thing.
Remember, Peters was extended another two years after the incident and Peter Karmanos said had he known he would have fired him, even though Ron Francis claimed to have informed him. Are you keeping up? Because I am struggling to keep everything straight myself. Imagine how it is for the players who may or may not have felt that the right decision was made in the process.
But that is all behind the current Carolina Hurricanes team since virtually everyone in that process has been weeded out by Tom Dundon. Right?