Mitchell Miller (ice hockey)

Miller was born in Sylvania, Ohio on December 20, 2001, to John and Shelli Miller.[3][4]

Starting in 2018, Miller played for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the United States Hockey League (USHL). He played two games during the 2017–18 season, and stayed with the team for the entire 2018–19 season. During the season, he was called up to the United States men's national junior ice hockey team to play in the 2018 World Junior A Challenge. After the end of the 2018–19 USHL season, Miller was traded to the Tri-City Storm. Miller had committed to play for the Miami University men's ice hockey team and was expected to join the Red Hawks for the 2019–20 season. However, he de-committed, and opted to spend the 2019–20 season playing for Tri-City, where he finished the season with 33 points.[5][6] He also earned an all-USHL first team selection, an honor bestowed on the best players in the league as determined by the votes of the league's general managers.[7] He was once again called up to the United States junior team for the 2019 World Junior A Challenge where he had two goals and four assists in six games. In May 2020, Miller committed to play for the University of North Dakota men's ice hockey team.[6][8]

At the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, the Arizona Coyotes used their first pick (111th overall) to select Miller.[9] On October 29, 2020, the Coyotes renounced the draft rights to Miller.[10][11] The next day, he was dropped from the University of North Dakota hockey team.[12]

In 2016, Miller and a classmate were found delinquent in an Ohio juvenile court on charges of assault and a violation of the Ohio Safe Schools Act.[4] The pair were accused and found guilty of forcing a developmentally disabled African American classmate, Isaiah Meyer-Crothers, to eat a piece of candy that they had wiped along the inside of a urinal, repeated bullying of Meyer-Crothers, and repeatedly calling him the n word.[13] Surveillance video also captured them kicking and punching Meyer-Crothers.[14]

The bullying incidents resurfaced after The Arizona Republic published an in-depth report on Miller on October 26, 2020.[15] The Republic exposé also revealed that Miller would frequently use the words "nigger" and "BROWNIE" to refer to Meyer-Crothers and often told him to "go pick their cotton".[16] The Coyotes initially defended Miller, citing their desire to "be a part of the solution in a real way" and to help Miller grow from this incident and eventually become a leader against bullying and racism.[16][11] Although Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong did not draft Miller, he expressed the team's desire to provide Miller with a second chance.[16]

Miller never apologized to Meyer-Crothers or his family according to the Republic, however he has apologized to all thirty-one NHL teams.[16] 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 contrition. 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.[17] This ultimately led to the Coyotes renouncing their draft rights to Miller and cutting all ties with him.[10][11][18] Miller was subsequently dropped from the University of North Dakota hockey team on the direct orders of the university president Andrew Armacost. Miller was still however in good standing academically, and was allowed to continue attending classes at the university.[12]

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, starting as early as 1st grade.[19] [20]These allegations include:

• calling Meyer-Crothers the "n word" in first grade
• along with a classmate smacking and punching Meyer-Crothers on the school bus
• repeated uses of the "n word" against Meyer-Crothers
• spitting in Meyer-Crothers' face

Miller maintains that his court-mandated apology letter was read to the Meyer-Crothers family. [21]

Source:[3]

• Biographical information and career statistics from Eliteprospects.com