NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Mitchell Miller is not eligible to play in the league.
CNN —
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Saturday said Mitchell Miller, who was previously involved in a bullying scandal, is not currently eligible to play in the league, and added league officials were not consulted by the Boston Bruins before the team signed Miller.
“He’s not coming into the NHL, he’s not eligible at this point to come into the NHL. I can’t tell you that he’ll ever be eligible to come into the NHL,” Bettman said, speaking at the NHL Global Series in Tampere, Finland.
The Bruins announced Friday they signed Miller, 20, to an entry-level contract, two years after the Arizona Coyotes renounced their rights to the player following a report in the Arizona Republic which revealed Miller bullied a Black classmate with disabilities when he was in junior high school in 2016.
Miller and another teen were accused of tricking Isaiah Meyers-Crothers into eating candy which had been placed in a urinal and physically assaulting him. Miller and another teen admitted to the bullying in an Ohio juvenile court and were sentenced to community service, according to the Republic.
“What I understand, and I’ve heard through the media anecdotally, what he did as a 14-year-old is reprehensible, unacceptable,” Bettman said on Saturday. “Before the Bruins made the decision to sign him, we were not consulted.”
The Bruins said Friday Miller would be assigned to the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League, a professional league that is not part of the NHL but serves as a developmental league for NHL prospects. Alongside their announcement, the team provided a statement from Miller in which he said he “deeply” regretted the incident and has “apologized to the individual.”
When he was asked about his thoughts on Miller’s signing, Bettman said, “If, in fact, at some point they (Bruins) think they want him to play in the NHL, and I’m not sure that they’re anywhere close to that point, we are going to have to clear him and his eligibility, and it’ll be based on all the information that we get firsthand at the time.”
“They were free to sign him to play somewhere else, that’s another league’s issue, but nobody should think at this point he is or may ever be NHL eligible. And the Bruins understand that now,” the commissioner added.
Bruins president Cam Neely previously said in a statement before signing Miller, the team’s Hockey Operations and Community Relations groups “spent time with him over the last few weeks,” and during that time, Miller was “accountable for his unacceptable behavior and demonstrated his commitment to work with multiple organizations and professionals to further his education and use his mistake as a teachable moment for others.”
Miller played in 60 games last season for the Tri-City Storm of the United States Hockey League. He was named USHL Player of the Year and Defenseman of the Year after setting league records for goals and assists in a season by a defenseman.
As an avid hockey enthusiast and someone deeply immersed in the dynamics of the NHL, I can confidently address the recent statement made by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman regarding Mitchell Miller's eligibility to play in the league. My comprehensive knowledge of the NHL and its policies allows me to provide insights into the intricacies of this particular situation.
Gary Bettman's announcement at the NHL Global Series in Tampere, Finland, serves as a decisive stance on Mitchell Miller's status within the league. Not only does Bettman assert that Miller is currently ineligible to play in the NHL, but he also casts doubt on the possibility of Miller ever gaining eligibility. This categorical statement reflects the severity of the concerns surrounding Miller and the actions that led to his previous involvement in a bullying scandal.
The Boston Bruins' decision to sign Miller to an entry-level contract has sparked controversy, especially given the troubling history outlined in the Arizona Republic's report. Two years after the Arizona Coyotes severed ties with Miller following revelations of bullying a Black classmate with disabilities in junior high school, the Bruins signed him without consulting NHL officials.
Bettman expressed his disapproval of Miller's past actions, stating that what he did as a 14-year-old was "reprehensible" and "unacceptable." He emphasized that the league was not consulted before the Bruins made the decision to sign Miller, indicating a lack of communication and collaboration between the team and the NHL.
Despite the Bruins signing Miller, they clarified that he would be assigned to the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League (AHL), a professional league separate from the NHL but serving as a developmental platform for NHL prospects. The decision to assign Miller to the AHL suggests a strategic move by the Bruins to allow him to continue his development while avoiding immediate entry into the NHL.
Bettman further explained that if the Bruins ever contemplate bringing Miller into the NHL, his eligibility would need to be cleared based on firsthand information gathered at that time. This emphasizes the league's commitment to thoroughly evaluating the circ*mstances before allowing a player with a controversial past to participate in the NHL.
In response to the public outcry, Bruins president Cam Neely released a statement asserting that Miller had spent time with the team's Hockey Operations and Community Relations groups, demonstrating accountability for his past behavior. Neely emphasized Miller's commitment to working with various organizations and professionals to further his education and use his mistakes as a teachable moment.
While Miller's actions as a 14-year-old are widely condemned, it is essential to acknowledge his recent achievements on the ice, such as playing 60 games for the Tri-City Storm of the United States Hockey League and being named USHL Player of the Year and Defenseman of the Year. These accomplishments, however, must be weighed against the gravity of his past behavior in determining his future in professional hockey.
