BOSTON – Two days after signing controversial defenseman Mitchell Miller to an entry level NHL contract, “the Boston Bruins have decided to part ways with Miller, effective immediately,” said team president Cam Neely.
“The decision to sign this young man was made after careful consideration of the facts as we were aware of them: that at 14-years-old he made a poor decision that led to a juvenile conviction,” said Neely in a prepared written statement. “We understood this to be an isolated incident and that he had taken meaningful action to reform and was committed to ongoing personal development. Based on that understanding we offered him a contract.
“Based on new information, we believe it is the best decision at this time to rescind the opportunity for Mitchell Miller to represent the Boston Bruins. We hope that he continues to work with professionals and programs to further his education and personal growth.
“We owe it to our fans, players, staff, partners and community to make sure that our practices and protocols are in keeping with the ethos that we demand from ourselves and as an organization. As such, we will be reevaluating our internal processes for vetting individuals who wish to earn the privilege of playing in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins.
“We are sorry that this decision has overshadowed the incredible work the members of our organization do to support diversity and inclusion efforts. We will continue to stand against bullying and racism in all of its forms.
“To Isaiah (the victim of Miller’s misguided activities) and his family, my deepest apologies if this signing made you and other victims feel unseen and unheard. We apologize for the deep hurt and impact we have caused.
“Finally, as a father, I think there is a lesson to be learned here for other young people. Be mindful of careless behaviors and going with the group mentality of hurting others. The repercussions can be felt for a lifetime.”
Miller, 20, skated in 60 games with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL in 2021-22, recording 39 goals and 44 assists for 83 points with a plus-43 rating. The 5-foot-10, 189-pound blueliner was named the USHL’s Player of the Year and Defenseman of the Year after the season in which he set league records for goals and points by a defenseman. Miller has appeared in 154 career USHL games with Tri-City and Cedar Rapids from 2017-22, totaling 51 goals and 82 assists for 133 points with a plus-54 rating. The Sylvania, Ohio native was originally selected by the Arizona Coyotes in the fourth round (111th overall) of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
“When I was in eighth grade, I made extremely poor decisions and acted very immaturely,” said Miller. “I bullied one of my classmates. I deeply regret the incident and have apologized to the individual. Since the incident, I have come to better understand the far-reaching consequences of my actions that I failed to recognize and understand nearly seven years ago. I strive to be a better person and positively contribute to society.
“Rounding out the Men’s Starting Five Watch List is the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award. The student-athletes on this list should feel tremendously proud of all they have accomplished to be associated with basketball’s all-time leading scorer,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “With his focus on both education and athletics, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s perspective is cherished by our committee when evaluating talent each year.”
“The Basketball Hall of Fame is proud to annually recognize the best power forwards in the collegiate game with the Karl Malone Award, which bears the name of one of the greatest players of all time,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “To be named to the watchlist of the Karl Malone Award is a great honor and I know he values the opportunity to watch these players compete throughout the season. We are honored to have his unique perspective in our evaluation each year.”
