Bruins lacked “human decency” in Mitchell Miller fiasco

The Boston Bruins found themselves embroiled in controversy when they made the bizarre call to ink former Arizona Coyotes draft pick Mitchell Miller to a contract, despite his having plead guilty in an Ohio juvenile court in 2016 for shocking racial abuse of a developmentally disabled Black classmate.

The Bruins made the call on Monday after understandable backlash to terminate Miller's contract; this came shortly after Commissioner Gary Bettman made it clear that in no uncertain terms Miller would not be eligible any time soon to play in the NHL. 

Needless to say, this entire fiasco was completely doomed from the start, as there was immediate and considerable pushback from fans, pundits, and even Bruins players upon the news of the signing - which, if you can believe it, still requires that Miller gets paid despite having had his ties with Boston severed already. 

The Hockey Diversity Alliance released a particularly scathing review of the entire situation, saying that the Bruins are guilty of a complete lack of human decency:

"Mitchell Miller’s signing with the Boston Bruins had to feel like a bandage being torn off a fresh wound. When Isaiah and his family needed privacy, support and time, Miller’s signing with the Bruins gave them only unwanted attention.

Our thoughts are always with them, and our door will always be open.

Sadly, Isaiah and his family were not in the thoughts of the Boston Bruins – if they had been then the team’s management would have at the very least reached out to them before signing Mitchell Miller.

That should have been a matter of not just due diligence but also, and more importantly, human decency.”

The Bruins are certainly feeling the heat right now, and very justifiably so.