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'''Mitchell Miller''' (born December 20, 2001) is an American professional [[ice hockey]] [[Defenceman|defenseman]] for [[Ak Bars Kazan]] of the [[Kontinental Hockey League]] (KHL). He was drafted 111th overall by the [[Arizona Coyotes]] in the [[2020 NHL Entry Draft]], but had his draft status revoked after it emerged that he had repeatedly subjected a disabled black classmate to extreme [[bullying]] throughout multiple years of grade school.<ref>{{Cite web |[email protected] |first=Dale Miller |title=Family speaks out about son's treatment by hockey player |url=https://theindependent.com/sports/local/family-speaks-out-about-sons-treatment-by-hockey-player/article_5d881908-1122-11ec-9c24-b35e836307b1.html |access-date=2022-03-26 |website=The Grand Island Independent |date=September 8, 2021 |language=en}}</ref> A commitment to join the [[North Dakota Fighting Hawks men's ice hockey|University of North Dakota]] was also ended as a result of Miller's past conduct, and in 2021 he re-joined the [[Tri-City Storm]].<ref name="ca.sports.yahoo.com">{{Cite web |title=Renounced NHL draft pick Mitchell Miller joins USHL team amid vile bullying saga |url=https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/mitchell-miller-tri-city-storm-renounced-nhl-draft-pick-joins-ushl-team-despite-vile-bullying-saga-203136291.html |access-date=2022-03-26 |website=ca.sports.yahoo.com |date=August 25, 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref> In November 2022, he signed an entry-level contract with the [[Boston Bruins]], but the team parted ways with him two days later after intense backlash.<ref name="Bruins Update"/>
==Early life==
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On November 4, 2022, Miller signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the [[Boston Bruins]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bruins sign renounced Coyotes draft pick, Mitchell Miller, to entry-level deal | url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/bruins-sign-renounced-coyotes-draft-pick-mitchell-miller-to-entry-level-deal/ |access-date=2022-11-04 |website=Sportsnet.ca |language=en}}</ref> The next day, NHL commissioner [[Gary Bettman]] stated that Miller was not eligible to play in the NHL, adding, "I can't tell you that he'll ever be eligible to come into the NHL."<ref name="clark">{{cite web |last1=Clark |first1=Ryan S. |title=Bettman: Bruins signee Miller 'not eligible' in NHL |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/34954408/gary-bettman-bruins-signee-mitchell-miller-not-eligible |website=ESPN.com |access-date=16 September 2023 |language=en |date=5 November 2022}}</ref>
On November 6, 2022, the Bruins parted ways with Miller following considerable pressure from fans and current Bruins players.<ref name="Bruins Update">{{cite web |title=Bruins Issue Update On Mitchell Miller |url=https://www.nhl.com/bruins/news/bruins-issue-update-on-mitchell-miller/c-337296694 |website=NHL.com |date=November 7, 2022 |publisher=NHL |access-date=7 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Wyshynski |first1=Greg |title=Cam Neely says Bruins 'failed' in vetting Mitchell Miller |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/34971594/cam-neely-says-bruins-failed-vetting-mitchell-miller |website=ESPN.com |access-date=7 November 2022 |language=en |date=7 November 2022}}</ref> The club stated it had severed ties with Miller, although he was still technically under contract with the Bruins at the time.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Shilton |first1=Kristen |title=Bruins make new policies in wake of Miller signing |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/35306927/bruins-announce-new-policies-wake-mitchell-miller-signing |website=ESPN.com |access-date=23 December 2022 |language=en |date=22 December 2022}}</ref> As of December 23, 2022, he had earned over $116,000 from that contract.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gallant |first1=Colin |title=Boston's Mitchell Miller Debacle Leads To Changes In Organization |url=https://clutchpoints.com/bostons-mitchell-miller-debacle-leads-to-changes-in-organization |website=ClutchPoints |access-date=9 February 2023 |language=en |date=23 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Insider drops major Mitchell Miller bombshell |url=https://www.hockeyfeed.com/nhl-news/insider-drops-major-mitchell-miller-bombshell |website=HockeyFeed |access-date=18 March 2023 |language=en |date=23 December 2022}}</ref>
In February 2023, the Bruins reached an agreement with Miller that permanently ended his association with the club. Miller received an undisclosed sum of money and was granted free agency, under a condition of confidentiality. The existence of the deal was not reported to the public until July 2023 in a ''[[New York Post]]'' article, which also stated that Mitchell was expected to try to play for a team in Europe.<ref name="Brooks">{{cite web |last1=Brooks |first1=Larry |title=Bruins' divorce of Mitchell Miller finalized in February settlement |url=https://nypost.com/2023/07/22/bruins-divorce-of-mitchell-miller-finalized-in-february-settlement/ |publisher=NY Post |access-date=23 July 2023 |date=23 July 2023}}</ref>
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According to the ''Republic,'' Miller apologized to the then 31 NHL teams (the [[Seattle Kraken]] had not formally joined the league at the time), but never to Meyer-Crothers or to his family.<ref name="expose"/> In a letter addressed to the Coyotes, Meyer-Crothers' mother, Joni, found Armstrong's comments demeaning to her son, stating that while Miller's classmate apologized to Meyer-Crothers, Miller himself was unwilling to show remorse. A juvenile court magistrate in Ohio concluded that Miller had absolutely no remorse for his actions against Meyer-Crothers and was merely upset that his reputation would be damaged by the situation. As a result of the exposé, the Coyotes received widespread criticism for drafting Miller.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cluff |first1=Jeremy |title=Arizona Coyotes criticized by fans, media for drafting player convicted of bullying |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nhl/coyotes/2020/10/26/arizona-coyotes-under-fire-controversial-mitchell-miller-nhl-pick/6048698002/ |accessdate=October 30, 2020 |work=The Arizona Republic |date=October 26, 2020}}</ref> This ultimately led to the Coyotes renouncing their draft rights to Miller and cutting all ties with him.<ref name="nyt"/><ref name="espn"/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Romero |first1=Jose M. |last2=Harris |first2=Craig |title=Arizona Coyotes cut ties with controversial draft pick Mitchell Miller |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nhl/coyotes/2020/10/29/arizona-coyotes-renounce-rights-controversial-pick-mitchell-miller/6073962002/ |accessdate=October 30, 2020 |work=The Arizona Republic |date=October 29, 2020}}</ref> A day later, Miller was dropped from the University of North Dakota's hockey team as well. According to UND president [[Andrew Armacost]], school officials and Miller's family mutually agreed that Miller should no longer be on the team.<ref name="dropped"/>
More details about the bullying surfaced after ''The Independent'' published a detailed letter from the Meyer-Crothers family, reiterating that Miller has not apologized to the family, and detailing further accusations about Miller's behavior, including repeated use of the word "nigger", spitting in Meyer-Crothers' face, and smacking and punching Meyer-Crothers on the school bus starting as early as 1st grade.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Dale|title=Family speaks out about son's treatment by hockey player |url=https://theindependent.com/sports/local/family-speaks-out-about-sons-treatment-by-hockey-player/article_5d881908-1122-11ec-9c24-b35e836307b1.html |access-date=2022-03-26 |website=The Grand Island Independent |date=September 8, 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="ca.sports.yahoo.com"/> Miller claimed that his court-mandated apology letter was read to the Meyer-Crothers family, but the Meyer-Crothers family informed the Bruins that the apology was only made through social media.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brehm |first=Mike |title=Bullying victim Isaiah Meyer-Crothers releases statement on former Bruins signee Mitchell Miller |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/bruins/2022/11/09/mitchell-miller-bullying-victim-isaiah-meyer-crothers-statement-bruins/8314807001/ |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Maxwell |first1=Scott |title=Erik Karlsson has spoken to Leafs, Hurricanes, Penguins, and Kraken while awaiting trade |url=https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/erik-karlsson-has-spoken-to-leafs-hurricanes-penguins-and-kraken-while-awaiting-trade |website=Daily Faceoff |access-date=7 October 2023 |language=en}}</ref>
==Career statistics==
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| 60 || 39 || 44 || 83 || 75
| 5 || 2 || 3 || 5 || 4
|-
| [[2023–24 Slovak Extraliga season|2023–24]]
| [[Slovak Extraliga|Slovak]]
| 19 || 6 || 23 || 29 || 12
| — || — || — || — || —
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [[2023–24 KHL season|2023–24]]
| [[Kontinental Hockey League|KHL]]
| 32 || 3 || 10 || 13 || 8
| 5 || 0 || 3 || 3 || 0
|- bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3"|
!
!
|}
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[[Category:2001 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Ak Bars Kazan players]]
[[Category:American men's ice hockey defensemen]]
[[Category:Anti-black racism in the United States]]
[[Category:Arizona Coyotes draft picks]]
[[Category:Cedar Rapids RoughRiders players]]
[[Category:MHk 32 Liptovský Mikuláš players]]
[[Category:Ice hockey players from Ohio]]
[[Category:People from Sylvania, Ohio]]
[[Category:Tri-City Storm players]]
[[Category:Ice hockey controversies]]
▲[[Category:MHk 32 Liptovský Mikuláš players]]
▲[[Category:Ak Bars Kazan players]]
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