The Boston Bruins are parting ways with defenseman Mitchell Miller, the team announced Sunday.
- On November 4, the Bruins signed Miller to an entry-level deal.
- Miller was selected by the Arizona Coyotes in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft, but had his draft status revoked by the team after it was revealed that he had been found guilty of bullying in a juvenile court.
- NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Saturday that Boston did not consult the league before signing Miller, saying he will have to look at “a lot of things” before virtually allowing him to play in the NHL. There will be
- Bruins players spoke out at Saturday’s signing. Nick Foligno said, “It’s hard for us to swallow,” adding captain Patrice Bergeron, “The culture we’ve built here is against that kind of behavior.”
what they say
Bruins President Cam Neely issued the following statement on Sunday:
“Today, the Boston Bruins decided to part ways with Mitchell Miller, effective immediately,” the statement said. “The decision to sign this young man was made after careful consideration of the facts that we knew. Based on that understanding, we offered him a contract.
“Based on new information, we believe canceling Mitchell Miller’s opportunity to represent the Boston Bruins is the best decision at this time.”
Neely apologized for the petition, saying, “This decision overshadows the great work members of our organization are doing to support diversity and inclusion efforts.
“We will continue to stand against bullying and racism in all its forms.”
Neely apologized to Isaiah Meyer Crothers, a black autistic classmate who Miller admitted to bullying in an Ohio juvenile court.
“To Isaiah and his family, if this signing makes you or any other victim feel invisible or deaf, we sincerely apologize. We apologize for the deep hurt and impact we have caused.”
The Bruins have no contact with the victim’s family
As of 9:50 p.m. Sunday, 49 minutes after the Bruins issued their press release, Joni Myer Crothers and Jamie Crothers had not been contacted directly by anyone from the Bruins. From start to finish, this lack of communication is central to the Bruins’ dire assessment of the situation.
“One hundred percent.” When asked if a pre-signing exploratory call from the Bruins could have influenced their decision, Myercrothers said.
The Bruins family didn’t call the family, so they didn’t understand that Isaiah was being repeatedly abused. In a release, Neely said their decision to part ways with Miller was “based on new information.” – Niizawa
(Photo: David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
