Boston Bruins players react to Mitchell Miller signing: "Hard for us to swallow"

TORONTO - Before they took the ice against the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday night, Boston Bruins players responded to the controversial signing of prospect Mitchell Miller to an entry-level contract.

Miller's draft rights were renounced by the Arizona Coyotes following backlash from a 2016 assault conviction for bullying a Black, developmentally disabled classmate. The victim's mother told WBZ-TV that her son suffered years of abuse at the hands of a seemingly unremorseful Miller. And NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the league has no plans to let him play in the league.

"It's tough," Bruins forward Nick Foligno told the media in a locker room interview. "It's a really hard topic."

Foligno, who joined Boston last year, said he didn't think his fellow players were happy about the signing.

"I understand he was 14 when he made this mistake but it's hard for us to swallow because we take a lot of pride in here, the way we act the way we carry ourselves, what it is to be a Bruin, so that was a tough thing to hear for our group," he said. "I think we had a lot of concerns and this kid will have to answer for those."

Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron said general manager Don Sweeney asked for his opinion about bringing Miller on board, and he described himself as "not necessarily agreeing" with the decision.

"We expect guys who wear this jersey to be high character people," Bergeron said.

He said it's on Miller to show he's a different person now.

"Hopefully there is some growth and change," Bergeron said. "If it's the same 14-year-old that would be walking into this locker room he wouldn't be accepted."

Alternate captain Brad Marchand echoed that sentiment. 

"If he's with our group it will be because he has shown that he's learned and matured and he's come a long way," Marchand said. "It's going to be a very long process for him."

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