[News] UPD: Coyotes renounce the rights to draft pick Mitchell Miller

[Lanny'sDaMan]

I have tried to write a post here so many times and deleted them all as I keep having far too emotional a response to this. I was horrifically bullied and tortured by a group of kids from grade 1 right through til I graduated. I was a tiny kid well into high school and didn't get my "Man Body" until I was graduated. The same kids, the same methods of abuse from beatings daily, to urinated lunches, swirlies, being taped to a flag pole (yeah that crap actually does happen in real life.) and having my clothing flushed down a toilet so all I had was my ginch. No adults ever interceded (stand up for yourself, kids will be kids etc etc), and now as an adult myself, I still carry the scars of this well into my 40's. Seeing this story has ripped wide open many a wound I thought had healed or at least been buried deep enough to never surface.

This kid has shown no reason to deserve this honour of being drafted. Someone with this obvious lack of a moral compass, any human decency, or even the base modicum of empathy should never ever be in a position to be a role model or be financially rewarded to such a high degree. Am I reacting emotionally? Yeah probably, but in a case such as this, emotion tends to be the defining issue. My heart breaks for the victim as I can intimately feel what he must feel, and know that he will never be whole. How can he be? Someone he trusted and thought of as a friend turned out to be his main torturer. And believe me when I say the word torture is not too strong, and is exactly what this victim has been put through.



Mitchell should never step foot on an NHL surface as a player. Full stop. The game should have no room for such a monster.

[Azure]

If you have been bullied in your life, never apologize for reacting emotionally to another bullying incident.

Never. It is extremely emotional, and leaves a long trail of deep rooted issues.

I think a lot of people don't understand that, and for some reason believe that once we are adults everything goes away.

"Come on, kids will be kids. Get over it and grow up."

Right.

[Joborule]

I do think that the NHL has the moral obligation to not condone this behavior, and his shallow 'attempts' at making things right. If the NHL is serious about Black Live Matter (as well anti-bullying in general), they should be making an example of this, and ban him from being a player in the league.

Allowing him back in just sends an awful message that it's okay to ruin a kid/black person's life because you're very good at hockey. It would be different if he actually was wanting to make atonement and shows he's changed as an individual, but that clearly isn't the case if he hasn't even reached out to the victim.

[Matt Reeeeead]

Originally Posted by Lanny'sDaMan

I have tried to write a post here so many times and deleted them all as I keep having far to emotional a response to this. I was horrifically bullied and tortured by a group of kids from grade 1 right through til I graduated. I was a tiny kid well into high school and didn't get my "Man Body" until I was graduated. The same kids, the same methods of abuse from beatings daily, to urinated lunches, swirlies, being taped to a flag pole (yeah that crap actually does happen in real life.) and having my clothing flushed down a toilet so all I had was my ginch. No adults ever interceded (stand up for yourself, kids will be kids etc etc), and now as an adult myself, I still carry the scars of this well into my 40's. Seeing this story has ripped wide open many a wound I thought had healed or at least been buried deep enough to never surface.

This kid has shown no reason to deserve this honour of being drafted. Someone with this obvious lack of a moral compass, any human decency or even the base modicum of empathy should never ever be in a position to be a role model or be financially rewarded to such a high degree. Am I reacting emotionally? Yeah probably, but in a case such as this emotion tends to be the defining issue. My heart breaks for the victim as I can intimately feel what he must feel, and know that he will never be whole. How can he be? Someone he trusted and thought of as a friend turned out to be his main torturer. And believe me when I say the word torture is not too strong, and is exactly what this victim has been put through.



Mitchell should never step foot on an NHL surface as a player. Full stop. The game should have no room for such a monster.

Thanks for sharing, and am sorry to hear of this journey and how difficult it must have been.

If I may ask, do you know what your bullies are doing now, and how their life has transpired? Did they develop into functioning adults, or do they continue displaying the same awful behaviour in their adult lives?

[Lanny'sDaMan]

Originally Posted by Matt Reeeeead

Thanks for sharing, and am sorry to hear of this journey and how difficult it must have been.

If I may ask, do you know what your bullies are doing now, and how their life has transpired? Did they develop into functioning adults, or do they continue displaying the same awful behaviour in their adult lives?

I have had no contact with anyone from School since graduation so I honestly have no idea what happened to any of them. And to be brutally honest, tho I wish no harm upon any of them, I do want them all to continue to stay out of my life.

[Oling_Roachinen]

I'm glad the Hockey Diversity Alliance called the Coyotes (and NHL) out. I'm sure the Coyotes will simply sign the pledge and then do nothing about it, but there's only going to be a certain number of times that the NHL can be called out by Black and other POC players before it becomes a very very bad look on it.

[Racki]

Originally Posted by Lanny'sDaMan

I have had no contact with anyone from School since graduation so I honestly have no idea what happened to any of them. And to be brutally honest, tho I wish no harm upon any of them, I do want them all to continue to stay out of my life.

A big part of the story is focused on the lack of remorse, the lack of a direct apology. I'm curious, did any of those kids ever try to make amends? If they did, would it have meant something to you if it was honest and sincere? I have genuine empathy for you.

I was bullied a little bit from ages 10 to 13 but it wasn't anything like you described. I was always big for my age so I was bullied by two kids older than me. I'm not condoning what I did but I got my retribution when I was about 20. I'm not condoning violence but I have to be honest. Felt pretty good.

[Lanny'sDaMan]

Originally Posted by Racki

A big part of the story is focused on the lack of remorse, the lack of a direct apology. I'm curious, did any of those kids ever try to make amends? If they did, would it have meant something to you if it was honest and sincere? I have genuine empathy for you.

I was bullied a little bit from ages 10 to 13 but it wasn't anything like you described. I was always big for my age so I was bullied by two kids older than me. I'm not condoning what I did but I got my retribution when I was about 20. I'm not condoning violence but I have to be honest. Felt pretty good.

No one ever did attempt to reach out to make amends, but if they had it would have meant the world to me. To know that they realized the trauma they have inflicted, to show even a hint of remorse would have been huge. And I would have accepted and forgiven whole heartedly. As it sits I hold no ill will, cause holding a grudge is against my nature, but forgiveness must be earned and no one has earned that from my past.

[Flamenspiel]

To me the issue is the public school system, they cater to bullies and their parents.

[cannon7]

Originally Posted by Azure

If you have been bullied in your life, never apologize for reacting emotionally to another bullying incident.

Never. It is extremely emotional, and leaves a long trail of deep rooted issues.

I think a lot of people don't understand that, and for some reason believe that once we are adults everything goes away.

"Come on, kids will be kids. Get over it and grow up."

Right.

No one here said anything like this. I don't know who these comments are directed, but they're not in this thread.

[jaydub74]

I'm just going to leave this here for anyone who'd like to send the Coyotes an email regarding their opinion on drafting Mitchell Miller

community.relations@arizonacoyotes.com

Maybe not the perfect email address, but it's the best publically available one I could find.

[sureLoss]

News Update

Elliotte Friedman @FriedgeHNIC
There is word ARIZ will renounce the rights for draft pick Mitchell Miller.

Darren Dreger @DarrenDreger
Sounds like the Arizona Coyotes are going to renounce the rights to Mitchell Miller.

[Lanny'sDaMan]

[devo22]

such a PR disaster for the Coyotes too.

[Johnny Makarov]

The best thing they have done in franchise history. Good job Arizona!

[lazypucker]

I now wonder if the NHL will "make it up" for the Coyotes by re-rewarding the pick next year that they took away.

Or should the league do so?

[FlamesAddiction]

Not that it matters as I doubt anyone in North America is taking him, but would that make him a UFA, or would he go back in the next draft?

I can't even see a university taking him now. The KHL probably would though.

[bdubbs]

My wish came true.

[kyuss275]

I think I rather they kept him and worked out his issues. Even if he never saw the light of day in the NhL he might have gotten some guidance. I’m not sure now this guy will change for the better. Reading about him I tend to think that this move will make him hate disabled and other ethnic minorities even more. Hope I’m wrong.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by lazypucker

I now wonder if the NHL will "make it up" for the Coyotes by re-rewarding the pick next year that they took away.

Or should the league do so?

why? The Coyotes knew Millers backstory, as did every other team. It's their own fault for burning a 4th rounder in a draft in which they didn't have any picks in the first three rounds ... don't see why they should get a pass.