Bruins facing criticism for controversial free-agent signing
The Boston Bruins are facing criticism for the signing of free agent defenseman Mitchell Miller to an entry-level contract on Friday afternoon.
Miller, 20, was originally a fourth-round draft pick by the Arizona Coyotes in 2020 but the team quickly renounced the selection when it was revealed that Miller had been convicted of bullying and abusing Isaiah Meyer-Crothers, a disabled black classmate when they were in middle school.
The details of the abuse and bullying, which included several racial slurs, were shocking when revealed, as was the revelation from Meyer-Crother's family that Miller never apologized for his actions.
Miller issued a statement in the Bruins' press release announcing the signing on Friday.
"When I was in eighth grade, I made an extremely poor decision 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. As a member of the Bruins organization, I will continue to participate in community programs to both educate myself and share my mistakes with others to show what a negative impact those actions can have on others. To be clear, what I did when I was 14 years old was wrong and unacceptable. There is no place in this world for being disrespectful to others and I pledge to use this opportunity to speak out against mistreating others."
The Bruins said in the statement that they spent the past few weeks with Miller to "better understand who he is as an individual." The Bruins said that he was accountable for his previous actions during this time and demonstrated a willingness "to work with multiple organizations and professionals to further his education and use his mistake as a teachable moment for others."
The social media reaction has not been kind to the Bruins.
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