Bettman puts his foot down on the Mitchell Miller controversy.

The Boston Bruins have kicked up quite the controversy this week with their decision to sign controversial forward Mitchell Miller, so much so that it has now drawn the attention of the National Hockey League itself.

On Saturday, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman made the league's feelings on the signing of Mitchell crystal clear when he indicated that there was no chance Miller would be playing in the league without his approval. Bettman clarified that, as things currently stand, Mitchell is not currently eligible to play in the NHL, whether that be for the Bruins or any other team.

"What I understand and have heard through the media, what he did as a 14-year-old is reprehensible, unacceptable," began Bettman when addressing the controversial signing. "Before the Bruins made the decision to sign him, we were not consulted. I happened to talk to Cam Neely since the time he was signed. He's not coming into the NHL. He's not eligible at this point to come into the NHL. I can't tell you that he'll ever be eligible to come into the NHL. If at some point they think they want him to play in the NHL, and I'm not sure they're anywhere close to that point, we're going to have to clear him and his eligibility. It will be based on all the information that we get firsthand at the time. So the answer is: They were free to sign him to play somewhere else. That's another organization. But nobody should think at this point he is or may ever be NHL eligible. And the Bruins understand that."

The controversy surrounding Miller stems from an incident, or series of incidents, that occurred when he was 14 years of age. Miller pled guilty to one count of assault and one count of violation of the Ohio Safe Schools Act after bullying a developmentally disabled schoolmate. The heinous nature of Mitchell's actions in that case would eventually lead to the Arizona Coyotes renouncing their draft rights to the player, this in spite of the fact that they drafted Miller in the fourth round (111th overall) of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. As a result of the Coyotes decision to cut ties with Miller, many considered him an untouchable player.

As for what it would take for Mitchell to play in the NHL one day? Bettman would only state that he would need to see a great deal more from the young man before that came to pass.

"I would need to see a whole bunch of things and understand a lot more firsthand than I do now," admitted Bettman.