Cam Neely, Don Sweeney attempt to justify signing of Mitchell Miller

In case you haven't heard the news, the Boston Bruins have made the inexplicable decision to ink controversial former Arizona Coyotes draft pick Mitchell Miller to an entry-level contract. As you may remember, Miller plead guilty in an Ohio juvenile court in 2016 for shocking racial abuse of a developmentally disabled Black classmate.

“When I was in eighth grade, I made an extremely poor decision and acted very immaturely,” Miller said in the statement. “I bullied one of my classmates. I deeply regret the incident and have apologized to the individual. Since the incident, I have come to better understand the far-reaching consequences of my actions that I failed to recognize and understand nearly seven years ago. I strive to be a better person and positively contribute to society. 

And now, both Bruins president Cam Neely and general manager Don Sweeney are sounding off as to what they're expecting from the controversial young man moving forward.

“Representing the Boston Bruins is a privilege we take seriously as an organization,” Neely said. “Respect and integrity are foundational character traits we expect of our players and staff. Prior to signing Mitchell, our Hockey Operations and Community Relations groups spent time with him over the last few weeks to better understand who he is as an individual and learn more about a significant mistake he made when he was in middle school. 

“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. The expectation is that he will continue this important educational work with personal development and community programs as a member of the Bruins organization.”

According to Sweeney, Miller reached out to his victim to apologize. 

"We are incredibly respectful of what this young man has been through," Sweeney said. "It was imperative that Mitchell reach out to him as part of the process."

However, Sweeney himself seemed unsure as to whether or not signing Miller was in fact the right course of action for his team, who are enjoying the best start in franchise history. 

"I can't categorically tell you this was the right decision," he said.