Former Arizona Coyotes draft pick Mitchell Miller has found a new team in the Slovak Extraliga. After a controversial past involving bullying and abuse, Miller has agreed to play for HK 32 Liptovský Mikuláš. Here’s everything you need to know about this development.
Backstory
In 2016, Mitchell Miller and another eighth-grader, Hunter R. McKie, were convicted of bullying and abusing Isaiah Meyer-Crothers at a junior high school in Sylvania, Ohio. The incident involved Miller and McKie rubbing a candy push-pop inside a urinal and then convincing Meyer-Crothers to put it in his mouth. The details of the incident were described in a police report obtained by The Athletic and first reported by The Arizona Republic.
Both Miller and McKie were suspended by the school, but Miller received a greater punishment due to his repeated lies to school administrators, which were confirmed by security camera footage. Meyer-Crothers’ foster mother, Joni Meyer-Crothers, revealed that Miller had been racially abusing her son since second grade, using racial slurs and making derogatory comments.
Miller’s past was not a secret, as it was reported by the Toledo Blade at the time. When NHL teams conducted background checks before the draft, at least 10 teams removed Miller from their draft lists. Miller provided all 31 teams with a letter of apology while he was a freshman at the University of North Dakota. Despite this, the Coyotes selected him in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft but later revoked his draft status after learning about his bullying conviction.
The Coyotes acknowledged that they were aware of Miller’s past before drafting him but believed in being a part of the solution by helping players like him. They stated that it would have been easy to dismiss him like other teams did but chose to take responsibility and support him.
Miller’s letter of apology, obtained by The Athletic, portrayed his juvenile conviction as a life-changing event. It included references from hockey coaches and his USHL billet family. Two years later, the Bruins signed Miller to an entry-level contract, believing that he had matured off the ice.
Controversy and Rescinded Offer
The Bruins’ decision to sign Miller sparked public outrage. Bruins president Cam Neely defended the signing, stating that Miller had been working on himself and participating in programs to better himself. However, left winger Nick Foligno expressed difficulty in accepting the signing, and captain Patrice Bergeron emphasized that the team’s culture goes against such behavior.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman condemned Miller’s actions as a 14-year-old, calling them “reprehensible.” He also revealed that the Bruins did not consult the league before signing Miller. In response to the backlash and new information, the Bruins rescinded their offer to Miller and issued an apology to the Meyer-Crothers family.
Mitchell Miller’s New Opportunity
Despite the controversy surrounding him, Mitchell Miller has now found a new team in HK 32 Liptovský Mikuláš in the Slovak Extraliga. The team has given him an opportunity to continue his hockey career. It remains to be seen how this decision will be received by fans and the hockey community.
Conclusion
Mitchell Miller’s past actions involving bullying and abuse have followed him throughout his hockey career. Despite being aware of his history, the Coyotes drafted him but later revoked his draft status. The Bruins signed him but faced significant backlash and ultimately rescinded their offer. Now, Miller has agreed to play for HK 32 Liptovský Mikuláš in the Slovak Extraliga. This development raises questions about second chances, accountability, and the responsibility of teams in addressing past misconduct. Only time will tell how this decision will impact Miller’s future in the sport and how it will be perceived by fans and the hockey community.