WHL and former Team Canada Coach Subject of Complaint and Investigation

The US Centre for SafeSport has confirmed an investigation into a complaint against the head coach and General Manager of the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League. Dennis Williams has also served as assistant and head coach for Team Canada while playing at the World Juniors.

According to documents obtained by by TSN, the complainant said several players were concerned with Williams for using the players' showers and coming out only wearing a towel on multiple occasions. It also alleged that Williams "walked into the bathroom while [a] player was losing consciousness following VO2 max testing. Dennis took a photo of the player on his phone while the player was on the bathroom floor and walked out, leaving the player unconscious on the bathroom floor. The player was 17 at the time."

Silvertips equipment manager Damon Pugerude told TSN he filed a complaint against Williams on January 23 of this year, mentioning specifically the use of the players' shower and getting out wearing just a towel. The WHL investigated the complaint and said there was no evidence of criminal activity, or the breaking of any WHL policies.


Williams has been GM and coach for the Silvertips for the past six seasons. He is a former player, whose brief career was spent mostly in the NCAA College Hockey system. Williams won gold with Canada's World Junior team as head coach in 2023, and as assistant coach in 2022. He also served as an assistant for Team Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup U18 tournament in 2019, winning a silver medal.

Source: TSN