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

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

I don’t see how the coyotes can be applauded for this move.

I don't think anybody does. Miller shouldn't have been selected in the first place, and the Coyotes don't get off the hook just because they have renounced the rights now ... the damage has already been done.

The Coyotes don't look good in any of this, and it's their own fault. They pretty much hoped to sweep Millers story under the carpet and that no one would give a ####, but that's obviously not what happened. I don't see how this selection could have paid off under any circumstances, it'd have been different if Miller had actually shown genuine remorse and taken action to make up for it. Then they could have taken control of the narrative and painted this as a "look, this is a kid who made a mistake and has earned a second chance" moment, and reactions would have probably been different.

[IGGYRULES]

Miller has a great opportunity here. Come out with a PR that he respects the Coyotes decision and is going to continue to put in the work to become a better person and community leader. If he follows though on with meaningful actions that he'll get his shot somewhere. However judging by past behavior I don't expect that to happen and I fully expect the superiority/entitlement/woe is me.... to shine through. He can choose his path now.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Stupid they got themselves in this position, but absolutely respect their decision here. They could have played it safe with their couple PR statements about helping him grow etc. and kept their head down (and sign the pledge) and just waited us to forget about it. And not have to give up their first pick in the draft for nothing.

Maybe Armstrong, who couldn't be involved in the pick, had more to say about it.

[CalgaryFan1988]

I've only read this thread sporadically, but did the Coyotes know about this when they drafted him? Or is it something that just became public knowledge afterwards?

Interested to see what happens with his scholarship at the University of North Dakota.

[sureLoss]

As some others have pointed out, this might be first heavy consequence that Miller has faced for his years of bullying. Hopefully it is a wake up call for him to become a decent person.

I don't think it completely closes a door to the NHL, but it will be so much harder for him to convince a NHL team he deserves a chance now. But if he wants it he knows where to start.

[wired]

My guess is this kid will be the top beer league player in his state. No organization will touch him with a ten foot pole now.
Too bad he didn't take the proper actions at the time. But you have to lay in the bed you make.

[Jordan!]

So the Coyotes are getting lambasted while they didn't even have their GM take part in the draft, run by a staff of scouts that were just thrown together by an ownership who is new to not only hockey, but to sports overall. Ok

The right move was made in the end, but this has been the most Coyotes thing to happen ever.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Huh? Way to soften this up:

From this:

I'm not sure what you're getting at but Mitchel Miller lied to all the NHL teams saying it was a single incident in 2016 (and the only one that a quick google search would find). Maybe the Coyotes were the only ones stupid enough to believe him, or maybe they didn't care they were lied to, but it's very possible they didn't know that it was a 9 year ordeal.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

I've only read this thread sporadically, but did the Coyotes know about this when they drafted him? Or is it something that just became public knowledge afterwards?

According to the Athletic, the Coyotes knew about the incident and had put him on their do not draft list in June but then took him off the list after the management changes and draft pick penalties were levied.

Also Miller sent letters to every NHL team before the draft admitting to what he was convicted for and apologizing for it.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

I've only read this thread sporadically, but did the Coyotes know about this when they drafted him? Or is it something that just became public knowledge afterwards?

Miller wrote a sort of apology letter to all NHL teams before the draft, so they knew.

[albertGQ]

There’s a thread about Miller on HF boards in the prospect section. They were talking about the abuse and bullying actions all summer.

So if a bunch of posters knew about it, I’m sure all 31 NHL teams knew about them too

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

There’s a thread about Miller on HF boards in the prospect section. They were talking about the abuse and bullying actions all summer.

So if a bunch of posters knew about it, I’m sure all 31 NHL teams knew about them too

He sent letters to all 31 teams, they all knew about the single incident. But he lied about everything else.

"When I was 14 and in 8th grade I was involved in a school incident with 2 classmates that involved inappropriate actions, name calling, and racial slurs. At the time, I was not aware of the harm I was causing and being very carless (sic). The incident originally resulted in a 3-day suspension from school and later turned into more severe punishment with my school and even legal charges of assault and safe school / bullying. With embarrassment and remorse, I soon learned the gravity of my words and actions, which were completely wrong and I understand the humility it caused my friend Isaiah and his family. I take full accountability for my actions and I am sorry for the damage I caused. I have extreme regret for my actions and to be very clear, any notion of lacking of remorse or ongoing use of racial slurs is absolutely not true. I have grown and been able to understand how to behave more appropriately, how to treat others and how my actions can affect others."

Quick Google search (and that shouldn't be the level the Coyotes scouting should have but regardless) indicates that this could have been the case at the time.

It wasn't until he was drafted that his victim and his mother came forward and it became apparent this wasn't a single incident, that it was ongoing, that he didn't apologize etc.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

According to the Athletic, the Coyotes knew about the incident and had put him on their do not draft list in June but then took him off the list after the management changes and draft pick penalties were levied.

Also Miller sent letters to every NHL team before the draft admitting to what he was convicted for and apologizing for it.

Originally Posted by devo22

Miller wrote a sort of apology letter to all NHL teams before the draft, so they knew.

Originally Posted by albertGQ

There’s a thread about Miller on HF boards in the prospect section. They were talking about the abuse and bullying actions all summer.

So if a bunch of posters knew about it, I’m sure all 31 NHL teams knew about them too

Thanks guys!

I was just reading this article, so I appreciate the feedback.

https://www.si.com/hockey/news/what-...itchell-miller

"There’s justifiably a lot of outrage out there with the publication of today’s story on Miller. But in speaking to scouts, this is a story that has been known in hockey circles for quite some time. In fact, Miller has been lauded by many in hockey for owning what he did and getting out in front of it. And while the Coyotes are getting buried in an avalanche of bad press for this, the fact remains that there are many other people in the hockey world who were willing to allow Miller on their teams and in their organizations after the incident."

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

Thanks guys!

I was just reading this article, so I appreciate the feedback.

https://www.si.com/hockey/news/what-...itchell-miller

"There’s justifiably a lot of outrage out there with the publication of today’s story on Miller. But in speaking to scouts, this is a story that has been known in hockey circles for quite some time. In fact, Miller has been lauded by many in hockey for owning what he did and getting out in front of it. And while the Coyotes are getting buried in an avalanche of bad press for this, the fact remains that there are many other people in the hockey world who were willing to allow Miller on their teams and in their organizations after the incident."

*What about the Detroit Honeybaked organization, one of the most prestigious minor hockey programs in North America, who allowed Miller to play for their under-16 team for two seasons after he was convicted?

* What about USA Hockey, the governing body for youth hockey in the United States, which has welcomed Miller as a member of national teams for two World Jr. Hockey Challenges and the Under-18 Hlinka-Gretzky Tournament?


* What about the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the USHL, who drafted him 17th overall in 2017 and had him on their team for a season, and the Tri-City Storm, who traded for him prior to last season?

* What about the USHL itself, who honored Miller by placing him on its first all-star team last season?

* What about the University of North Dakota, who recruited and landed Miller and has given him an athletic scholarship?

* What about the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario League, who drafted him 62nd overall in 2017 in the hopes that he might choose major junior hockey over the U.S. college route?

It would appear the Coyotes weren’t the only ones.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Originally Posted by Jordan!

So the Coyotes are getting lambasted while they didn't even have their GM take part in the draft, run by a staff of scouts that were just thrown together by an ownership who is new to not only hockey, but to sports overall.

I've tried to find it, but couldn't tell who exactly was in charge of the draft this year. Unless they're new to sports they still must have had an idea of what they were doing.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

It would appear the Coyotes weren’t the only ones.

True.

And I wouldn't be surprised if some other NHL teams are thankful at this point that the Coyotes drafted him before they did.

[Doctorfever]

The Coyotes mad a mistake in drafting him. There is no doubt they knew about the incident(s). There is a chance they didn’t do all the proper due diligence, so they might have thought the incident was resolved.
I think the letter sent to the Coyotes from the bullied kids mother helped to bring the entire story to light.

I think the Coyotes made a mistake, but in the end, did the right thing.

If Miller had done the right thing, and apologized, he wouldn’t be in this situation.

So I am not going to crap on the Coyotes too much for this. Every organization deserves a second chance, once the wrongs have been corrected.

.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

I've tried to find it, but couldn't tell who exactly was in charge of the draft this year. Unless they're new to sports they still must have had an idea of what they were doing.

According to the Athletic, Ryan Jankowski was running the Coyotes draft.

https://theathletic.com/2162185/2020...-bullying-nhl/

[calumniate]

I heard he's now signed with Bill Peters

[cannon7]

Originally Posted by Doctorfever

So I am not going to crap on the Coyotes too much for this. Every organization deserves a second chance, once the wrongs have been corrected.

Does that include firings? Should Steve Sullivan or any of the scouts lose their jobs? Should anyone at the University of North Dakota lose their jobs? Apparently both the Arizona Coyotes and University of North Dakota knew all about this and just didn't expect it to turn into anything.