Coyotes on Monday defended picking Mitchell Miller, but the deluge of criticism proved too muchUNIV. OF NORTH DAKOTA
The Coyotes have "renounced the rights to Mitchell Miller," their fourth-round draft pick of this month's NHL Draft, due to Miller's "harassment of a developmentally disabled" Black classmate four years ago, according to Romero & Harris of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. The Coyotes on Monday had "doubled-down on picking Miller," but the team faced an "avalanche of criticism on social media as well as media outlets" across the U.S. and Canada. Coyotes President & CEO Xavier Gutierrez and GM Bill Armstrong, who was not involved in drafting Miller, called Joni Meyer-Crothers, whose son was the target of Miller's harassment, on Thursday to "apologize prior to cutting ties" with Miller. The Coyotes in their statement Thursday announcing the Miller decision "pledged to work with organizations such as Best Buddies, One Step Beyond and the American Special Hockey Association to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities." They also said that they will "partner with local non-profit organizations fighting bullying and racism" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 10/30).
TOO MUCH BAGGAGE TO IGNORE: TSN’s Darren Dreger said Miller "just became too much" for the Coyotes amid the heightened criticism around the situation. While the Coyotes initially "wanted to help Miller become a leader for the cause ... it became too much for the team to bear with so much recent controversy." TSN's Pierre LeBrun noted the Coyotes were "already at the point where they knew they were going to split ways" with Miller before Thursday, but "getting on the phone and having an emotional conversation with the mother of Isaiah Meyer-Crothers, the victim, went a long way." There were several "real factors” that played into why the Coyotes were not as educated about Miller prior to the draft, but that is "no excuse." LeBrun: "The Coyotes know that and they certainly are ready to own that.” TSN’s Frank Seravalli noted the Coyotes plan to “conduct an internal review” on what happened with Mitchell’s drafting and said, "It’s fair to say at this point that the scouts that had recommended that the Coyotes draft Mitchell Miller will face their fair share of scrutiny in that internal review" (“Insider Trading,” TSN, 10/29).
COULD HAVE DONE BETTER: THE HOCKEY NEWS' Ken Campbell wrote it is "amazing, utterly amazing, that in all of this ugliness, the people that end up looking the worst" are the Coyotes. There is "no possible way they could have handled this worse" and it "shows just how much work everyone there from owner Alex Meruelo to GM Bill Armstrong have in trying to somehow rehabilitate this franchise on and off the ice." They "knew Miller’s story." Other teams did too and "removed him from their draft lists because of it." The Coyotes "could have done the same." The organization has an "enormous amount of work to do to even approach the level of respectability again" (SI.com, 10/29). However, in Phoenix, Kent Somers writes when "admitting a mistake, it's better to do it sooner rather than later," so, "kudos to the Coyotes." At least they "didn't compound their mistake by continuing to deny they made one" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 10/30). NHL Network’s Tony Luftman said the Coyotes renouncing Miller's rights is a "fitting end to what has been a very dark chapter." Luftman: "Hats off to the Coyotes for doing the right thing. ... I'm so thrilled that our league gets this one right" (“NHL Tonight,” NHL Network, 10/29).
