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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Despite being outed for bullying a classmate in middle school, the Boston Bruins signed defenseman Mitchell Miller to an entry-level contract.
Years ago, Miller was dropped by the Arizona Coyotes after a report from the Arizona Republic revealed he had bullied a black teen with disabilities in middle school. One instance of that bullying included tricking the victim into licking a lollipop that had been dragged through a bathroom urinal.
The announcement from General Manager Don Sweeney came with an asterisk that Miller had to work to redeem himself, and prove he's the changed man he says he is.
"Personally this has been a struggle as to what is right and what is wrong, and I can't categorically tell you this is the absolute right decision— this is an opportunity we're providing for a young man that is going to work to continue to earn trust and respect as each and every one of us do," Sweeney said.
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Miller, who is from Sylvania, Ohio, played 60 games with the Tri-City Storm in the United States Hockey League, where he scored 39 goals. After that same season Miller was named the USHL's Player of the Year and Defenseman of the Year as he set league records for goals and points by a defenseman.
The 20-year-old shared a statement alongside the announcement of his signing.
“When I was in eighth grade, I made an extremely poor decision and acted very immaturely. 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.”
Bruins President Cam Neely said that Miller has shown accountability for his actions and past behavior with a commitment to work with organizations and professionals to further his education and personal development.
"Sometimes we'll make really good decision and sometimes we won't— and this was an incredibly difficult decision personally, professionally, organizationally, as why we want to do this," Sweeney said.
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