NHL News: The Boston Bruins part ways with Mitchell Miller

Boston Bruins: Part of the statement from Bruins president Cam Neely

“Today the Boston Bruins have decided to part ways with Mitchell Miller, effective immediately.

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. 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.”

The remainder of the statement can be read here.

Thoughts from the media:

Fluto Shinzawa: “Joni Meyer-Crothers and Jamie Crothers, parents of Isaiah, have yet to hear directly from anybody from the Bruins.”

Chris Johnston: “It’s hard to quantify how much credibility the #NHLBruins organization lost in this whole Mitchell Miller fiasco, but let it be noted that Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and other players stood up in opposition to a morally bankrupt decision by management. Kudos to them.”

Ty Anderson: “It was clear to me that a lot of people did not want to make this signing. A lot of people. And you saw and heard some of that on Saturday, and I believed more was coming had they not made this decision tonight. A completely self-inflicted error from hockey ops.”

Ian Kennedy: “This saga may be over, but Cam Neely’s statement on behalf of the Boston Bruins should not be the end. A statement is not action, it’s not a commitment to equity. Organizational beliefs allowed Mitchell Miller entrance, and that means structural change is required to fix this.”