Patrice Bergeron responds to the Mitchell Miller controversy.
Patrice Bergeron on the big controversy in Boston.
The Boston Bruins poked a hornet's nest this week when they made the controversial decision to sign disgraced former Arizona Coyotes draft pick, Mitchell Miller.
Miller, who was selected in the fourth round (111th overall) of the 2020 National Hockey League Entry Draft by the aforementioned Coyotes has never played a game in either the NHL or the American Hockey League due entirely to an incident that occurred when he was a teenager. Miller was accused and found guilty of bullying a developmentally disabled student and as a result of an expose that was published following his selection at the 2020 draft, the Coyotes would eventually renounce their rights to the draft pick.
To make matters even worse though there are reports that Miller never apologized for his actions, including multiple statements made by the victim's mother, Joni Meyer-Crother's.
In spite of all the distastefulness and controversy surrounding Miller however, the Bruins went forward with the highly criticized decision of signing Miller to an NHL contract earlier this week. As you might expect this has resulted in considerable backlash against the organization, including from among their very own fans, and many still don't understand why the Bruins would risk so much negative publicity over a relatively minor signing.
It is a fair question and one that Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron has now indicated is also being asked by the players in the Bruins locker room. Speaking with NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, Bergeron revealed that he had his own questions about the decision.
"It goes against a little bit of what we are as a culture and as a team and for me as a person," admitted Bergeron.
It sounds like the pitch to the Bruins players was that this would give Miller an opportunity to use his harmful actions in the past to bring something positive into the world instead.
"I've been told lately that he's working hard to make some changes," added Bergeron. "To hopefully make those bad decisions in the past... to help others not do that."
While the Bruins will no doubt be there to support their newest teammate on the ice, it sounds like the captain recognizes that Miller has quite a journey ahead of him and it is one that he will largely have to walk alone.
"To me the works on him," admitted Bergeron.
