What's next for Bruins, Mitchell Miller? Why he's still on the payroll, and 4 potential paths forward (2024)

Technically, Mitchell Miller is still a Bruin. His three-year entry-level contract is active. He is accruing an annual AHL salary of $82,500.

And all of this is happening more than a week after the Bruins parted ways with him on Nov. 6, citing a lack of due diligence.

Even though Miller will never play a game for the Bruins, his continued employment shows the persistent situation his signing has caused. The team cannot terminate his employment without facing a grievance that the NHLPA would be likely to pursue. For now, the Bruins remain obligated to the contract, which was signed Nov. 4 and registered by the NHL a day later amid public and internal backlash over his history of offenses against Isaiah Meyer-Crothers.

How the situation reaches a resolution from here is unknown. There is no precedent. But here are four avenues the Bruins could explore:

1. Do nothing

The Bruins would continue to pay Miller his annual AHL salary and his signing bonus ($95,000 per year) until the contract expires after the 2024-25 season. They would decline to issue him a qualifying offer after that, which would make him an unrestricted free agent. He would make a total of $532,500 over the course of the deal — three years of $82,500 salary plus three years of the $95,000 signing bonus.

Whether Miller wants this is unknown. It would make him ineligible to play for any other professional club while his contract with the Bruins remains active.

Miller could still attempt a career resurrection in Europe if he is able to sign there. After seeing how the signing blew up in the Bruins’ faces, it’s unlikely any of Miller’s former NHL suitors would risk a similar reaction.

2. Buy out Miller at the end of 2022-23

Miller would collect the rest of his pro-rated $82,500. The Bruins would then buy out the remaining two years of his deal at his NHL salary. Because Miller, 20, is younger than 26, the buyout would be one-third the cost of the total deal.

The problem with a buyout is how the Bruins would have to apply the cost toward their annual cap hit. According to CapFriendly, the penalty would be $215,834 in 2023-24 and 2024-25. It would decrease to $129,167 in 2025-26 and 2026-27.

These may seem like minimal amounts, but every penny counts — especially when the Bruins could be subject to overage penalties in 2023-24.

For example, Patrice Bergeron earned a $2.5 million performance bonus for appearing in 10 games. David Krejci earned $1 million for reaching the same threshold. Krejci will be due $500,000 if he appears in 20 games and another $500,000 if the Bruins make the playoffs, per CapFriendly.

If the Bruins exceed the $82.5 million ceiling in 2022-23, they may have to roll over some or all of the centers’ bonus payments next year.

3. Negotiate a settlement

General manager Don Sweeney and Eustace King, Miller’s agent, would have to agree on a mutual termination of the contract. A lump sum payment to Miller, negotiated and agreed to by both sides, would be the most likely outcome.

The Bruins would be free of future obligations. Miller would be eligible to play for any other club.

4. Terminate the contract

The Bruins could cite breach of contract in resolving the deal. During his press conference on Nov. 7, team president Cam Neely declined to answer when asked if King had misled the Bruins.

The Bruins would place Miller on waivers for the purpose of terminating the contract. However, the NHLPA would then have 60 days to file a grievance. The union would be likely to do so.

In the press release explaining the decision to part ways with Miller, Neely said it was because of “new information” following the signing. When asked about the nature of the new information, Neely acknowledged it was because the Bruins had not contacted the family of Meyer-Crothers during their due diligence.

(Top photo of Don Sweeney and Cam Neely: John Tlumacki / The Boston Globe via Getty Images)