An independent review released Thursday found “no misconduct” in the way that the Boston Bruins vetted Mitchell Miller before signing the controversial defenseman this fall. However, the review recommends a series of improvements the team could implement when vetting prospects in the future. Here’s what you need to know:
- The law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, who conducted the independent review, has recommended a series of vetting process improvements. The Bruins said the organization will begin implementing the recommendations immediately.
- The Bruins signed Miller to an entry-level contract on Nov. 4 and faced intense public backlash over the move.
- Miller admitted to bullying Isaiah Meyer-Crothers — a Black, developmentally disabled classmate — in an Ohio juvenile court in 2016. Miller was selected by the Arizona Coyotes in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft but had his draft status revoked by the team after it was revealed that he had been convicted in juvenile court of bullying.
- After the Bruins parted ways with Miller on Nov. 6, president Cam Neely said he would work to find out why nobody from the organization contacted the Meyer-Crothers family during the team’s due diligence.
What are the vetting process recommendations?
- Establish clear written policies for vetting off-ice conduct, including identifying red flags requiring detailed vetting and documented resolution
- Establish clear timetables and responsibilities within the organization to investigate prospects’ community or other off-ice commitments
- Establish centralized documentation of vetting to include reporting on red flags and off-ice issues and ensure such documentation is available to all stakeholders involved in the process
- Establish a tracking system to ensure responsibilities for all vetting tasks are clearly assigned and tracked
- Utilize independent third-party resources to investigate and resolve factual issues when reviewing red flags
- Determine whether there are specific training or rehabilitation programs the prospect should participate in depending on the nature of the red flags
What else was found in the review?
The review, led by former US Attorney General Loretta Lynch, found the Bruins already had a vetting process in place. However, there “were gaps in the club’s vetting procedures, which created challenges when faced, as here, with a recruit with significant red flags,” the law firm found.
During the review, Bruins employees were interviewed and thousands of documents and communications related to the signing of Miller were also examined. In a statement through the Bruins, Lynch said all Bruins employees cooperated fully with the review.
What the Bruins are saying
“The steps we are announcing today underscore our organization’s commitment to our values, including our process for vetting future players,” Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs said in a statement. “These improvements, which the team will begin implementing immediately, will help ensure that we are meeting the high standards our associates, fans and community expect from this great organization.”
Timing of the independent review’s release
The release detailing the review’s findings came shortly before 5 pm ET just days before the Christmas weekend, following in the grand tradition of public relations news dumps.
Boston, in particular, has made the news dump an art form. The Bruins fired general manager Peter Chiarelli on April 15, 2015, the same day the late Aaron Hernandez, a former New England Patriots tight end, was found guilty of first-degree murder. Additionally, the Bruins fired coach Claude Julien on Feb. 7, 2017, during the Patriots’ Super Bowl parade. — Lazerus
Backstory
At least 10 NHL clubs took Miller off their 2020 draft lists, and Miller provided all 31 teams with a letter of apology while a freshman at the University of North Dakota. Miller was selected by the Arizona Coyotes in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft but had his draft status revoked by the team after it was revealed that he had been convicted in juvenile court of bullying.
According to a police report, Miller and a classmate rubbed a candy push-pop inside a urinal at the school during a girls’ basketball game and enticed Meyer-Crothers to put it in his mouth, nearly falling over with laughter when he did. Both Miller and the classmate were punished by the school with suspensions.
Miller’s punishment was greater, per a police report obtained by The Athletic in 2020 and first reported by The Arizona Republic, because he lied repeatedly to school administrators, who confirmed the reports of other students by using the school’s security cameras.
Amid public outrage over the signing, Bruins left wing Nick Foligno said it was “hard for us to swallow,” with captain Patrice Bergeron adding that “the culture we built here goes against that type of behavior.” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman called Miller’s actions as a 14-year-old “reprehensible” and said the Bruins did not consult the league before signing Miller.
Joni Meyer-Crothers, Isaiah’s mother, told The Athletic that the family was “blindsided” by Miller’s signing, confirming the Bruins failed to reach out to them before making the move. She said the abuse by Miller started in second grade and involved repeated racial slurs, such as calling her adopted son the N-word and telling him to “go pick cotton,” among other racist comments.
After the Bruins parted ways with Miller, Neely said the organization thought Miller’s bullying of Meyer-Crothers was an isolated incident. Neely added that the organization rescinded its offer to Miller “based on new information” and offered an apology to the Meyer-Crothers family.
Three days after Miller’s contract was rescinded, Isaiah Meyer-Crothers detailed his abuse by Miller in a letter.
“Mitchell used to ask me to sit with him on the bus and then he and his friends would punch me in the head,” Meyer-Crothers wrote. “This happened my whole time in school. When I went to junior high Mitchell would spit in my face and call me an N-word. I stopped telling because they called me a snitch and I would get made fun of.”
Meyer-Crothers added: “Mitchell isn’t my friend. It hurts my heart what he did to me. So I just wanted to tell everyone — when Mitchell says we’re friends it isn’t true.”
Required reading
(Photo: David Kirouac / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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