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Patrice Bergeron ‘on the fence’ about Bruins signing Mitchell Miller
"It goes against a little bit of what we are as a culture and as a team, and for me as a person."
Patrice Bergeron was “on the fence” when he heard the Bruins signed Mitchell Miller – a 20-year-old defenseman with a controversial past and poor reputation – to an entry-level contract.
Miller bullied a developmentally disabled Black classmate, Isaiah Meyer-Crothers, in middle school. He reportedly forced him to eat a piece of candy that had been in a urinal while repeatedly calling him a racial slur, and surveillance video showed him kicking and punching Meyer-Crothers in the crotch as well.
Miller also reportedly told him to “go pick their cotton” and called him both “brownie” and the “N-word.”
“When I was in eighth grade, I made an extremely poor decision and acted very immaturely,” Miller said in a statement. “I bullied one of my classmates. I deeply regret the incident and have apologized to the individual.”
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Here’s the full statement:
The Bruins captain Bergeron, in an interview with Sportsnet reporter Elliotte Friedman, said both he and the organization “stand for integrity and inclusion, and diversity.”
“That was the first thing that came out of my mouth,” Bergeron told Friedman. “It goes against a little bit of what we are as a culture and as a team, and for me as a person.”
He said he’s been told lately that Miller is “working hard to make some changes.” Bergeron wants to see him learn from his past mistakes and transgressions to help others avoid a similar path.
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“For me, I think the work is on him,” Bergeron said.
Friedman reported that the Bruins have “done a lot of work on this” and did not make a quick decision. President Cam Neely said they spent several weeks with Miller to better understand who he is as a person and learn more about the significant mistakes he made.
“During this evaluation period, Mitchell 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,” Neely said in a statement.
General Manager Don Sweeney said he struggled with the decision, but he leaned on his father’s wisdom as he made the choice. His father was a vice principal, principal, and on the board of education, and he consistently welcomed kids back to school if they showed growth and moved forward.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Miller is not eligible for the NHL, and he’s not sure he ever will be. He noted that the Bruins didn’t consult with the league before making the move.
The Bruins have received plenty of backlash for the choice to bring him aboard. Miller reported to the AHL Providence Bruins on Friday.
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