Boston Bruins President Cam Neely announced the team rescinded an offer to Mitchell Miller on Sunday over a juvenile conviction when he was a teenager.
Neely said the decision to sign Miller “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,” according to a Boston Bruins press release.
“Based on new information,” Neely continued, “we believe it is the best decision at this time to rescind the opportunity for Mitchell Miller to represent the Boston Bruins.”
The Arizona Republic originally reported that Miller was sentenced to community service in 2016 after bullying classmate Isaiah Meyer-Crothers, a black student with developmental disabilities, who was forced to eat candy after Miller and another student wiped it in a urinal.
Miller and the other student pled guilty to charges of assault and violating the Ohio Safe Schools Act, according to the Arizona Republic. Aside from a court-mandated apology letter, Miller reportedly never made a direct, personal apology to Meyer-Crothers.
Meyer-Crothers told the Arizona Republic that Miller “made me do things I didn’t want to do.” He also claimed that Miller repeatedly referred to him as the “N-word” and “brownie” for years.
Meyer-Crothers’ mother, Joni Meyer-Crothers, said that Miller and the other boy pled guilty to avoid the release of a surveillance video showing Mitchell “smashing Isaiah’s head against a brick wall,” according to the Arizona Republic.
Based on “new information” the Bruins are parting ways with Mitchell Miller.
Boston did not consult with his victim’s family or the NHL before choosing to sign Miller. https://t.co/0YXYYDaPPg
— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) November 7, 2022
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Saturday that Miller was “not coming into the NHL, he’s not eligible at this point to come into the NHL,” according to CNN. He added that the Bruins failed to alert the league when Mitchell was originally signed onto the team.
“To Isaiah and his family,” Neely said, “my deepest apologies if this signing made you and other victims feel unseen and unheard.” (RELATED: Bud Light Offers Bruins Goalie Tuukka Rask ‘A Significant Amount Of Beer’ If He Does Three Things)
Neely also expressed a “hope” that Miller “continues to work with professionals and programs to further his education and personal growth.”
Former NHL player Bobby Ryan was arrested following a public intoxication incident at Nashville International Airport in July while Sean Avery, another former NHL player, was involved in an October road rage incident. The NHL recently decided that it needed to become more diverse with the league planning to establish a greater presence in underrepresented communities.