Bruins president Cam Neely said on Monday that the team “dropped the ball” in the evaluation of Mitchell Miller, which led to the decision to cancel the contract offered to the controversial defender.
Posted at 1:28 p.m.
Miller, 20, was drafted and later released by the Arizona Coyotes in 2020 after a story of bullying a young black man with developmental delay surfaced.
The Bruins offered Miller a contract on Friday, which drew fierce criticism from fans and players alike, starting with captain Patrice Bergeron. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman also chimed in, saying Miller would not be eligible to play in the league without major changes.
“I’m extremely upset that we made a lot of people unhappy with our decision,” a visibly shaken Neely told the media Monday morning. I’m proud of the Bruins organization and what we represent. And we failed in this case. »
The offer made to Miller was rescinded on Sunday evening. Neely said in a statement that the Bruins believe Miller’s conduct was an isolated incident, but the team has backtracked based on new information. Neely apologized Monday that the team did not speak to victim Isaiah Meyer-Crothers or his family.
“We didn’t have enough information,” Neely said. We could have dug deeper. »
Neely met with Miller, agent Eustace King, and Miller’s mother before signing the contract. Neely said he shouldn’t have taken it for granted that the vetting process also included a meeting with Meyer-Crothers’ family. Asked why it didn’t happen, Neely replied, “That’s a great question. It’s something I need to find out. However, he refrained from talking about sanctions for those responsible for this fiasco within the organization.
Neely reiterated that upon meeting Miller, he felt the latter was remorseful and deserved a second chance in the form of an NHL contract.
“I felt like he was a 14-year-old who made a really bad decision and did some horrible things,” Neely said. He is now 20 years old. So I felt like in the last six years he had worked on himself a lot. I believe in second chances and maybe some people don’t deserve them. »
Recall of facts
Miller pleaded guilty at age 14 to one count of assault and one count of violating the Ohio Safe Schools Act. He and another teenager were accused of making Meyer-Crothers eat candy after wiping her in a urinal, and surveillance video showed them punching him.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY USA HOCKEY
Mitchell Miller
Meyer-Crothers’ mother, Joni, told The Arizona Republic that Miller had started bullying his son in second grade and was using racial slurs.
The Coyotes recruited Miller when they were aware of his 2016 assault conviction. Under pressure, they eventually released the player.
Miller sent a letter to all 31 NHL teams acknowledging what happened and apologizing for his behavior. Joni Meyer-Crothers said Miller never personally apologized to Isaiah or his family other than in a court-mandated letter. He also reportedly sent her a note via social media just a few days ago.
“When I was in eighth grade, I made a very bad decision and acted very immature,” Miller said in a statement Friday. I bullied one of my classmates. I deeply regret this incident and have apologized to this person. Since the incident, I have better understood the consequences of my actions that I failed to recognize and understand almost seven years ago. »
Miller sat out the 2020-21 season, before scoring 39 goals and 44 assists for Tri-City in the USHL in 2021-22. He was named USHL Player and Defenseman of the Year after setting league records for goals and points by a defenseman.
Neely again apologized to Meyer-Crothers’ family and said he planned to contact them.
“It’s something they shouldn’t have to go through,” he said. We could have done a better job, we should have done a better job. »
“We missed our shot and I’m here to apologise,” he said towards the end of his press briefing.
A Boston reporter then asked him if the decision to offer Miller a contract had been the worst of his career. Neely answered, moved: “Absolutely. Without a doubt. By far the worst…”