In the wake of the Mitchell Miller scandal, the Boston Bruins are reexamining their participant vetting course of. On Tuesday, the Bruins introduced that they’re hiring an unbiased agency to assessment how the crew evaluates potential participant acquisitions.
On Nov. 4, the Bruins signed Mitchell to an entry-level contract and instantly obtained blowback from each angle. Mitchell was initially a 2020 NHL Draft choose by the Arizona Coyotes, however the crew rescinded the choose when it was reported {that a} juvenile court docket convicted Miller of bullying and assaulting a black and studying disabled scholar.
Fans and media criticized the signing from each angle, and Boston selected to half methods with Miller simply days after signing him.
Now, the Bruins have introduced that they’ve employed a legislation agency, which incorporates former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, to assessment their participant vetting course of. The crew hopes to keep away from a repeat of the Miller state of affairs sooner or later.
“The Boston Bruins attempt day by day to reside our values and meet the excessive requirements our associates, followers and group have come to anticipate,” the Bruins stated in an announcement. “This contains treating everybody inside and out of doors our group with dignity and respect. We just lately fell wanting our excessive requirements and disenchanted each ourselves and plenty of in our group. Moving ahead, we’re dedicated to making sure that our values are mirrored in every little thing we do as a corporation, together with our course of for vetting future gamers.
“As a part of this dedication, the Boston Bruins have retained an skilled and revered crew of execs, led by former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch of the legislation agency of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, to conduct an unbiased assessment of our player-vetting course of. This will assist us be certain that our course of going ahead displays our core values. The Bruins group will absolutely cooperate with the unbiased assessment crew and can publicly disclose the outcomes of the assessment upon its completion.”
Upon releasing Miller from his contract, Bruins president Cam Neely apologized for giving extra consideration to the sufferer and his household.
“We are sorry that this choice has overshadowed the unbelievable work the members of our group do to help variety and inclusion efforts,” Neely stated. “We will proceed to face in opposition to bullying and racism in all of its kinds.
“To [the student] and his household, my deepest apologies if this signing made you and different victims really feel unseen and unheard. We apologize for the deep damage and influence we’ve brought about.”
