The backlash the Boston Bruins faced for the controversial signing of Mitchell Miller last week was swift and furious. On Sunday night, the Bruins decided to part ways with Miller amid the uproar of unhappy fans who brought up Miller's previous history of bullying as a reason he should never play in the NHL. On Monday morning, Bruins president Cam Neely apologized for the Bruins decision to sign Miller.
“I'm extremely upset that we have made a lot of people unhappy with our decision. I take a lot of pride in the Bruins organization and what we stand for, and we failed there.” – Cam Neely, ESPN
It's relieving to see the Bruins finally admit their mistake and cut Miller. Even their own players were unhappy with their decision to add Miller to their squad, and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman made it clear shortly thereafter that Miller wouldn't be eligible to play in the NHL anytime soon.
Boston alleges that new information in the Miller case made them change their minds, and to his credit, Neely held himself and the organization accountable for their failure to truly vet Miller prior to signing him. The Bruins apparently failed to reach out to Isaiah Meyer-Crothers and his family, as Meyer-Crothers was the main target of Miller's bullying scandal.
“We like to take pride in what we do in the community and we hold ourselves accountable. We dropped the ball, and I'm here to apologize. I'll say it again: I want to apologize to Isaiah and his family. It's something that they shouldn't continue to go through.” – Cam Neely, ESPN
In the end, the Bruins made the right call releasing Miller, but it's a decision they should have never had to make in the first place. The Bruins will hope to continue their blistering start to the 2022-23 season, but it may be awhile before they fully recover from the damage done with Miller's signing.
Follow Us
Subscribe