Confirmed with Link: Bruins sign Mitchell Miller to ELC

[BlackFrancis]

For people that think that he deserves a second chance, I’m curious is there anything that a player could do at 14 years old where you wouldn’t want them on the team? Meaning as long as they weren’t in jail, and were eligible to play in the NHL, would you be OK with having them on the team because it happened when they were young?

I’m fine with giving second chances for petty stuff like stealing, drugs, or whatever, but tormenting a disabled kid for a decade I think crosses that line for me. And even if someone were to give him a second chance I wouldn’t want it to be my team that does it.

I alluded to this in a prior post, but I ran into a former neighbor probably 10 years ago. As a boy and in school he was a colossal, unrepentant asshole. He hurt people. He was a bully. He was a juvie criminal. After graduation, I can't think of a soul who wasn't glad to see the back of him.

But the guy I met at a party decades later was an excessively polite, genuinely pleasant man. His manner of speech had even softened to the point I wondered if it was a completely different person.

We all change, for better or worse or just for difference. And sometimes we change back.

I recently found pre-internet scribblings of mine from my teens, back when I was young and handsome and oh so promising. I don't recognize that kid. My brain's compartmentalization renders those times as something entirely different than what that boy was writing about. If I can't recall being that person accurately, how am I fit to pass judgement on someone's past I have absolutely no chance of understanding?

In high school, my circle of friends adopted a physically disabled classmate. He was protected and had youthful comradery and in return, he let us ride the elevator with him after lunch. We were obviously noble and right thinking young men. This is why we'd grab another classmate's wiseass freshman brother and yank him into the elevator to slam-dance him into wanting to be a future right thinking young man.

Protectors - bullies

Friends - tormentors

All matters who you ask at that point in time.

I wasn't there. I'm not him. I'm not his victim. I was bullied and I've participated in bullying. I'm not sure there's an instant of either I don't wish never happened. If you asked me when I was 12 about when I was bullied at 7, I'd have told you I don't care about that. If you'd asked me at 21 about bullying that freshman at 16, I'd have told you I'm too angry about more important things. When the instant/event is gone, the importance and the purpose of punishment and reprisal follow.

Except for mothers. They're never going to forget or worry about purpose. God love them.

But to stop rambling and answer the question posed, it costs me nothing for Miller to get a second chance. I suffer nothing if he doesn't. I have no skin at stake. I don't know enough about what happened, the person who did it and who it happened to in order to feel competent passing judgement. And, really, no one else here does either.

Who gains if he's black listed? No one, really.

Given that, might as well roll the dice and hope at least someone gets a positive result, because people can change.

 

[Ladyfan]

Even if this kid has changed (and I hope he has), this will stay with him forever. He is damaged goods.

I don't get why he was signed by the Bs.

The start of this season has been more positive than any season start since I have been on this board. It has been so nice and fun.

Now this dark cloud is there. Sports radio 98.5 loves this and will milk it for weeks. They haven't had much to bitch about so this will be on for weeks.

Not sure why the Bs management thought this was a good idea. The vibe on the Bs is so positive.

I hope the kid never plays on the Bs. I want to enjoy this year.

 

[Dizzay]

Literally no one is looking to do a public hanging. It’s been stated by several posters, myself included, that he could very easily go on with his life and be a happy, healthy productive member of society…just not in the NHL and definitely not as a Boston Bruin.

I 100% agree with you on the Bruins thing for sure. No question, dumb move by the organization. But if he became a CEO of a company and made millions doing something else, would everyone be saying the same thing? Just because it's professional hockey? Look at the NFL? The NBA?

 

[DaaaaB's]

Why are you trying to make light of this? Okay, so bullying happens elsewhere in the world. What's your point? Lots of horrible, awful things happen in the world. And when such things happen, the perpetrators need to be held accountable. This kid hasn't been accountable for shit.

Making light of it? Grow up man. He was convicted and punished accordingly. It's called the justice system.

 

[Kate08]

I 100% agree with you on the Bruins thing for sure. No question, dumb move by the organization. But if he became a CEO of a company and made millions doing something else, would everyone be saying the same thing? Just because it's professional hockey? Look at the NFL? The NBA?

If he became the CEO of a company, then good for him. You don’t get there by being born a gifted athlete, and you’re not a public figure.

Also have to assume that if he was to become a CEO, he’d be more than 7 years removed from the bullying and would have done a fair amount of maturing.

 

[Dizzay]

youd know.

remember you dont see all thats here.

if I quote you or you get a notice, you’ll know,

I get it! I'm not trying to be confrontational I agree with 95% of what's being said......other than cast this kid out. There's guys in the show who did sick things to women and ate getting paid millions. They did those things as adults. Zeroing in on a 14 year old I have a different view on, that's all. Not knowing this kid, I hope he has learned his lesson, grew as a person, and is committed to being a better human being.

 

[HuskyBruinPride]

Making light of it? Grow up man. He was convicted and punished accordingly. It's called the justice system.

Haha whatever you say man. All I can say about your take - YIKES.

 

[Aussie Bruin]

Heard Steve Dangle make an important point - Sweeney made this signing now because if he didn't some other team was going to. 'Sources', apparently good, say that several teams were interested in Miller, and Don was keen enough on Mitch that he had to beat them to it, no matter the consequences. I'd say that's most probably accurate.

But no Sweens, just no. Not worth it. Let someone else sign Miller, let it be their massive problem and kick in the face, not ours.

 

[bbfan419]

I was on board with giving him a second chance, since he was only 14 and all, but hearing more about this only saying sorry when he really had to, don't know what Sweeney is thinking here, you have your team going full guns and pedal to the metal and then he does this.

 

[HuskyBruinPride]

What he did showed poor character, but he was in eighth grade. No one should be judged for the rest of their life based on what they did when they were 13.

No matter what they did? Even if they raped/murdered someone?

 

[DaaaaB's]

Haha whatever you say man. All I can say about your take - YIKES.

So you don't believe in second chances, even for children, even after they've been found guilty and did their punishment...YIKES

You can act like you know he's not remorseful all you want but the fact is you don't know that.

 

[LouJersey]

I believe the point was made earlier but wild how Barzal being too confident in himself was a serious character flaw that made him untouchable to the Bs management.

Didn't realize abusing someone because of the color of their skin was ok though.

Never ever want to hear again how the Bruins value character or are this “proud” franchise. I hope the players are not afraid to bash management on this.

A team that passes on talented “me first” players, perimeter players, and “soft” players greets this kid with arms w ide open. They should have let the Ducks or Jets sign him, This franchise should be better than that. Let him get his second chance elsewhere, prove himself a reformed person and maybe down the road you entertain the idea of signing him or something. This brass would KILL this kid if he was doing it to their kids, but can’t even give this family a heads up about what’s coming. They couldn’t lower themselves for a ten minute conversation to talk to the mom about their side of how it went down. Maybe gain a different perspective on this hockey prospect. Even if they still went ahead with it, at least let the family have their say. Couldn’t even do that. How do you do your due diligence and not even talk to the victim. Clown show

 

[CptxMorgan]

Literally no one is looking to do a public hanging. It’s been stated by several posters, myself included, that he could very easily go on with his life and be a happy, healthy productive member of society…just not in the NHL and definitely not as a Boston Bruin.

Honestly, even if he made it to the NHL in a few years after doing some time as a free agent in the minors or Europe and put in a modicum of effort to at least seem like a decent person in that period, I don't think I'd mind nearly as much. This just feels like too much good grace too soon.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

There’s stupid kid stuff and then there’s sociopathic, rotten to the core stuff.

This isn’t stupid kid stuff.

Yeah its sociopathic rotten to the core KID stuff.

You can claim this thread isn't a public hanging (it is) but members of our media are reaching out to the KIDS mother for comment. That is pretty much textbook public hanging that CBS reporter probably hasn't run a single sports story this year before this one. The point of juvenile courts is to leave that stuff in the past and let these individuals move on.

It was a moronic signing and the organization had to know that off all the teams he'd be a bad fit for we would probably be #1. But people flipping out about this need to admit at this point you are trying to get a 20 year old fired from his job for something he did when he was 14. It sucks for everyone at this point which again makes it a crazy brain dead signing.

 

[caz16]

This has gone more than sideways, I hope they can get out of the contract and admit the mistake. The fanbase has made it abundantly clear they don't want this rascist POS on the team.

 

[Gordon Lightfoot]

Never ever want to hear again how the Bruins value character or are this “proud” franchise. I hope the players are not afraid to bash management on this.

A team that passes on talented “me first” players, perimeter players, and “soft” players greets this kid with arms and ide open. They should have let the Ducks or Jets sign him, This franchise should be better than that. Let him get his second chance elsewhere, prove himself a reformed person and maybe down the road you entertain the idea of signing him or something. This brass would KILL this kid if he was doing it to their kids, but can’t even give this family a heads up about what’s coming. They couldn’t lower themselves for a ten minute conversation to talk to the mom about their side of how it went down. Maybe gain a different perspective on this hockey prospect. Even if they still went ahead with it, at least let the family have their say. Couldn’t even do that.

That kind of stuff always rings hollow anyway. "The pride of the majestic spoked B" or anything along those lines. That goes for any franchise IMO.

So on the one hand, I'm just shocked they signed him. And on the other hand, I'm just thinking like he'll be in the farm system I guess and most people will forget about him. That's just how these things go IMO.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

Can he be traded or rather how long do we have to wait until we can trade him?

Assuming there was other interest and one of those teams could use Reilly or Smith it might make sense to eat the pick and put him in the deal with it.

 

[Sheppy]

All Sweeney had to do was say “pass” and this could have all been avoided. Stevie Wonder could have saw the fact that this is a piss poor decision.

He’s pissed off the fanbase.
He’s most likely pissed off the room.

He completely deflated the high balloon that everyone was on after a 10-1 start, and now he, and the organization is wearing it.

 

[Ladyfan]

He completely deflated the high balloon that everyone was on after a 10-1 start, and now he, and the organization is wearing it.

I am still psyched about the Bs start and won't let this ruin it. It a separate issue to me.

 

[Sheppy]

I am still psyched about the Bs start and won't let this ruin it. It a separate issue to me.

I am too, it’s awesome, but I have a sour taste in my mouth still.

 

[LouJersey]

Heard Steve Dangle make an important point - Sweeney made this signing now because if he didn't some other team was going to. 'Sources', apparently good, say that several teams were interested in Miller, and Don was keen enough on Mitch that he had to beat them to it, no matter the consequences. I'd say that's most probably accurate.

But no Sweens, just no. Not worth it. Let someone else sign Miller, let it be their massive problem and kick in the face, not ours.

Heard Steve Dangle make an important point - Sweeney made this signing now because if he didn't some other team was going to. 'Sources', apparently good, say that several teams were interested in Miller, and Don was keen enough on Mitch that he had to beat them to it, no matter the consequences. I'd say that's most probably accurate.

But no Sweens, just no. Not worth it. Let someone else sign Miller, let it be their massive problem and kick in the face, not ours.

You let the garbage franchises of the NHL do it. We read rumors of the bruins not drafting guys that don’t interview well yet they roll the dice here? It’s stupid.

 

[missingchicklet]

For f*** sake! The what-aboutism is sickening. And this deal with second chances is silly. Of course the vast majority of people believe in giving people second chances. Many of us have professions in which we directly give people second chances.

The bottom line here is that the Bruins are not a social services agency, and they have hundreds of people to choose from to bring into their organization. They chose a person who for 7 years bullied and tormented a kid with special needs. 7 years is not a youthful mistake, it's a deep character flaw, no matter the age. They chose a person who even the judge in his case said his apology was not sincere. A person who used racial epithets against a special needs kid. A person who many years after the bullying gave an apology over flippin Instagram after the Bruins had spent weeks talking with him.

This is not the time nor the organization to be giving this particular person a second chance. This is an original 6 hockey club that tries to project an image of integrity and character. It makes zero sense to take in a person with this much baggage. Even the lowly Coyotes did the right thing once they learned more about this punk and told him to kick rocks. The Bruins are getting roasted, as they should.

 

[Bruinfanatic]

Yes.

So every Stupid kid who f***s up should never be forgiven,many 14 year olds have done some pretty terrible things

Honestly yeah he shouldn't be in a space where he could be seen as a role model. Lots of 14 year olds have respect for fellow humans dude

So you don't believe in second chances, even for children, even after they've been found guilty and did their punishment...YIKES

You can act like you know he's not remorseful all you want but the fact is you don't know that.

So if he someday plays for the Bruins ,sounds like many will bully the kid that was a bully ,who maybe has smartened up ,but that doesn’t matter to some.Didn’t the Bruins have a player that got drunk and got behind the wheels of a car and killed someone.Or how about Ted Kennedy who left a young girl to drown in his car ,who went on to get voted in over and over again.But yeah the stupid 14 year old kid shouldn’t play hockey again.

 

[Sheppy]

So every Stupid kid who f***s up should never be forgiven,many 14 year olds have done some pretty terrible things



So if he someday plays for the Bruins ,sounds like many will bully the kid that was a bully ,who maybe has smartened up ,but that doesn’t matter to some.Didn’t the Bruins have a player that got drunk and got behind the wheels of a car and killed someone.Or how about Ted Kennedy who left a young girl to drown in his car ,who went on to get voted in over and over again.But yeah the stupid 14 year old kid shouldn’t play hockey again.

This is a trainwreck.

 

[Grimey]

Never ever want to hear again how the Bruins value character or are this “proud” franchise. I hope the players are not afraid to bash management on this.

A team that passes on talented “me first” players, perimeter players, and “soft” players greets this kid with arms w ide open. They should have let the Ducks or Jets sign him, This franchise should be better than that. Let him get his second chance elsewhere, prove himself a reformed person and maybe down the road you entertain the idea of signing him or something. This brass would KILL this kid if he was doing it to their kids, but can’t even give this family a heads up about what’s coming. They couldn’t lower themselves for a ten minute conversation to talk to the mom about their side of how it went down. Maybe gain a different perspective on this hockey prospect. Even if they still went ahead with it, at least let the family have their say. Couldn’t even do that. How do you do your due diligence and not even talk to the victim. Clown show

So incredibly frustrating