Bruins reach out to Mitchell Miller’ victim’s mother

When it all comes down to it, the saddest thing about the whole Mitchell Miller controversy in Boston is finding out that the defenseman never apologized to his victim for his actions. In 2020, the Arizona Coyotes had renounced the rights to Miller, who was their top draft pick that summer after news emerged he had assaulted, bullied and abused a Black classmate with a learning disability, Isaiah Meyer-Crothers. A day later, the University of North Dakota dropped Miller from its program. He did not play hockey during the 2020-21 season. Miller was charged with assault and a violation of the Ohio Safe Schools Act in February of 2016 after he and another student admitted to bullying Isaiah Meyer-Crothers, a Black classmate with a learning disability. Part of that bullying included wiping a piece of candy in a urinal and then tricking Meyer-Crothers into consuming it.

Earlier this week when the Bruins announced that they had signed Miller to an entry-level contract, everyone reacted to the news, but no one did a better job at putting the situation in perspective than Meyer-Crothers’ mother.

The woman reacted with genuine concern and also explained how she was never informed by the Bruins that they would put her son’s abuser under contract. She maintains that Miller has never apologized for assaulting her son.

On Tuesday, once the offer to Miller was rescinded late Sunday, Meyer-Crothers’ mother revealed how Bruins president Cam Neely got in contact with her to apologize. They had a long conversation, per Steve Conroy.

The issue for the Meyer-Crothers family that remains is the fact that Miller refers to the incident with her son as a one-time occurrence. This leads her to believe he hasn’t taken accountability for what happened.

There is also the fact that the Bruins didn’t take the opportunity to make sure of their targeted player’s growth as they too failed to make sure the victim’s family was on board with this obviously controversial signing.

Now, the Bruins need to face the consequences, and who knows how much it will cost them.

At least, Neely gave the much needed apology the Bruins owed to the Meyer-Crothers family.