Boston Bruins Assign Jakub Lauko To AHL
With the Boston Bruins now at home for two games, they’ve returned extra forward Jakub Lauko to the AHL. The Providence Bruins don’t actually play until Friday, meaning Lauko will be available for an immediate recall if needed.
Lauko, 22, scored his first NHL goal earlier this month and should get another chance to get into the Boston lineup before long. The third-round pick hasn’t been used much but has two points and 14 hits in seven contests. Should he stay down long enough to play for Providence it would be his first of the season, after scoring just three goals in 54 games a year ago.
While he isn’t expected to be a huge offensive performer, Lauko will be quality depth for the bottom six throughout the year. Still waiver-exempt, he can bounce up and down whenever necessary. He’s already been involved in seven transactions since the beginning of the year.
Bruins Part Ways With Mitchell Miller
Mitchell Miller‘s time with the Bruins has come to a quick end as the team has announced that they are parting ways with the defenseman who had signed with Boston back on Friday. Team president Cam Neely released the following statement:
The decision to sign this young man was made after careful consideration of the facts as we were aware of them: that at 14-years-old he made a poor decision that led to a juvenile conviction. We understood this to be an isolated incident and that he had taken meaningful action to reform and was committed to ongoing personal development. Based on that understanding we offered him a contract.
Based on new information, we believe it is the best decision at this time to rescind the opportunity for Mitchell Miller to represent the Boston Bruins. We hope that he continues to work with professionals and programs to further his education and personal growth.
We owe it to our fans, players, staff, partners and community to make sure that our practices and protocols are in keeping with the ethos that we demand from ourselves and as an organization. As such, we will be reevaluating our internal processes for vetting individuals who wish to earn the privilege of playing in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins.
We are sorry that this decision has overshadowed the incredible work the members of our organization do to support diversity and inclusion efforts. We will continue to stand against bullying and racism in all of its forms.
To Isaiah and his family, my deepest apologies if this signing made you and other victims feel unseen and unheard. We apologize for the deep hurt and impact we have caused.
Miller’s signing was a controversial one following the revelations of a 2016 assault conviction for bullying and abusing a Black, developmentally disabled classmate. The Coyotes, who had drafted him 111th overall back in 2020, renounced his rights later that year, making him an unrestricted free agent.
On Saturday, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman indicated that Miller was not currently eligible to play in the NHL and suggested that he might not ever be. That called into question whether or not he’d be able to play in the AHL with that league saying they’d need to meet with Miller and review the situation in further detail. That will no longer be necessary with his time with Boston now having ended.
Update On Mitchell Miller; Jeremy Swayman Placed On IR, Krejci Activated
The Boston Bruins’ signing of defense prospect Mitchell Miller earlier this week surprised many, however given the nature of the signing, his eligibility to play in the AHL, where Boston intended to place him, or the NHL, where they hope he can play someday, was presumed. Earlier today, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman walked back those assumptions saying, in short, that Miller is not currently NHL eligible and may never be NHL eligible. Substack’s Sean Shapiro, in turn, reached out to the AHL for comment, who have yet to determine his eligibility because as they said, the defenseman is currently suspended in the NHL. Not surprisingly, this story continues to have frequently-changing developments, and this evening, ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski shed more light on the current situation.
According to Wyshynski, the NHLPA tells ESPN that the league has not informed the union of any suspension against Miller or anything that would impact his eligibility. The NHLPA added that “there needs to be more info provided by NHL” as it relates to Bettman’s comments. Wyshynski adds that, per a source, Miller’s contract had been registered with the NHL and there was nothing official to stop the Bruins, or any other team, from signing him. This story is, of course, a difficult one for many reasons, however it is worth considering that, despite Miller’s past, he does gain certain rights within the NHL when he signs an official contract. Further, however the situation as to Miller plays out, it could have an impact on how future similar situations play out. Thus, a diligent, drawn-out review and discussion of all issues may be coming before anything is finalized.
- The recent injury status of the Bruins hasn’t changed much in the past couple days. Recently, it was reported that goaltender Jeremy Swayman would be out week-to-week, while veteran center David Krejci was due back in the lineup tonight. Krejci is in fact playing tonight, however the Bruins did need to activate the center off of IR, which necessitated a corresponding move. In order to add Krejci, Boston has placed Swayman on IR, says The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa, who covers the team. Head coach Jim Montgomery, to avoid creating any additional concerns possibly raised by the transaction, reiterated to reporters, including Shinzawa, that Swayman is still considered week-to-week.
Krejci To Return Tonight, Miller Not Eligible To Play In NHL, Perhaps Not AHL Either
- The Bruins will get a key part of their attack back tonight as ESPN’s Kristen Shilton relays (Twitter link) that center David Krejci will return to the lineup after missing the last three games due to an upper-body injury. It has been a strong return to the NHL for the 36-year-old as he’s averaging a point per game through his first eight contests while anchoring the second line which is the same role he had prior to him leaving to go play at home last season.
- Still with Boston, following the Bruins’ decision to sign Mitchell Miller yesterday, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman was asked to weigh in. He told reporters including Peter Baugh of The Athletic (Twitter link) that the 20-year-old is not presently NHL-eligible and that there’s a possibility that Miller may never be ruled eligible to play at the top level. Substack columnist Sean Shapiro then reached out (Twitter link) to the AHL for comment based on Bettman’s remarks with the league’s response being that President Scott Howson would have to determine his eligibility since he is under suspension in the NHL so it’s not a guarantee that he’ll be able to play there either.
Boston Bruins Sign Mitchell Miller
The Boston Bruins have signed former Arizona Coyotes draft pick Mitchell Miller to a three-year entry-level contract. After being selected in the fourth round of the 2020 draft, Miller’s rights were renounced by the Coyotes following the public controversy regarding a 2016 assault conviction for bullying and abusing a Black, developmentally disabled classmate.
In the release from the Bruins, Miller released a statement:
When I was in eighth grade, I made an extremely poor decision and acted very immaturely. I bullied one of my classmates. I deeply regret the incident and have apologized to the individual. Since the incident, I have come to better understand the far-reaching consequences of my actions that I failed to recognize and understand nearly seven years ago. I strive to be a better person and positively contribute to society.
As a member of the Bruins organization, I will continue to participate in community programs to both educate myself and share my mistakes with others to show what a negative impact those actions can have on others. To be clear, what I did when I was 14 years old was wrong and unacceptable. There is no place in this world for being disrespectful to others and I pledge to use this opportunity to speak out against mistreating others.
After being dropped by the Coyotes, Miller was also cut loose by the University of North Dakota hockey program, which he had been recruited by. He went on to play for the Tri-City Storm of the USHL, where he scored 83 points in 60 games last season and was named USHL Defenseman and Player of the Year. He led the league in goals with 39, even as a defenseman.
Bruins president Cam Neely, knowing that this announcement will come with quite a bit of public backlash, also released a statement:
Representing the Boston Bruins is a privilege we take seriously as an organization. Respect and integrity are foundational character traits we expect of our players and staff. Prior to signing Mitchell, our Hockey Operations and Community Relations groups spent time with him over the last few weeks to better understand who he is as an individual and learn more about a significant mistake he made when he was in middle school.
During this evaluation period, Mitchell was accountable for his unacceptable behavior and demonstrated his commitment to work with multiple organizations and professionals to further his education and use his mistake as a teachable moment for others. The expectation is that he will continue this important educational work with personal development and community programs as a member of the Bruins organization.
The Coyotes did not select Miller without knowledge of his past. He had issued a letter to all 31 teams prior to the draft explaining the incident. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reported at the time that at least ten teams had removed him from their draft board completely. Once considered a potential first-round talent, he ended up dropping to 111th overall, the Coyotes’ first selection after losing earlier picks due to combine violations.
That report from Portzline details the abuse, which included rubbing a candy on the inside of a urinal and then enticing his developmentally disabled classmate to put it in his mouth. It also included repeated racial slurs and other bullying.
Miller, now 20, is eligible to play in the AHL for this season.
Derek Forbort Out Week-To-Week
The Boston Bruins have lost another valuable contributor to a week-to-week injury. Per a team announcement, defenseman Derek Forbort underwent successful surgery on his right middle finger, and the expected recovery time is four to six weeks.
Forbort, 30, had played in all ten of the Bruins’ games this season up until tonight. He’s been an important cog in the Bruins’ blueline, handling 18:48 time on ice per game and leading the team in short-handed ice time per game. Forbort has three points as well so far this season and has been one of new coach Jim Montgomery’s most trusted defenders.
The Bruins are currently missing Charlie McAvoy, David Krejci, Jeremy Swayman, and Craig Smith due to injury, but that hasn’t stopped them from getting off to an NHL-best 9-1 start.
Veteran defenseman Anton Stralman, who earned a job in Boston after arriving on a PTO, will likely take Forbort’s defense-first role. The injury could also provide some opportunity for the Bruins to get a longer look at Jakub Zboril or Mike Reilly, who are both currently healthy scratches.
While this injury is far from an ideal development for Boston, the team has overcome all injury troubles they’ve faced so far this season. While this injury may hurt their penalty kill in the short-term, the Bruins have played well enough so far this year to give confidence that they can survive in Forbort’s absence.
Jeremy Swayman Out Week-To-Week
The Boston Bruins will be in the hands of Linus Ullmark for the next little while, as Jeremy Swayman is out on a week-to-week basis and has returned to Boston for evaluation. Derek Forbort is also out week-to-week, though the team will have an official announcement on his status later today, according to Dan Rosen of NHL.com.
David Krejci and Craig Smith are day-to-day and could be available for Saturday’s game.
The Bruins recalled Keith Kinkaid yesterday, signaling that it would be a little while for Swayman to get back in the net. The 23-year-old was off to a shaky start to the year with ten goals allowed on just 82 shots but is a key part of the team’s goaltending tandem.
Ullmark meanwhile has been outstanding, posting a .932 save percentage through eight appearances, winning all seven of his starts. While the Bruins won’t want to overload the 29-year-old, as he has never started more than 41 games in a single season, he’s certainly more than capable of carrying the load for a little while.
Boston Bruins Recall Keith Kinkaid
With Jeremy Swayman exiting last night’s game with an injury, the Boston Bruins have recalled another goaltender for the time being. Keith Kinkaid is coming up from the minor leagues, according to the AHL transaction portal. He is up under emergency conditions, meaning he’ll return as soon as Swayman is healthy.
Kinkaid, 33, has been excellent for the Providence Bruins so far, posting a .922 save percentage in four appearances. That shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, given his long professional career that includes 167 games in the NHL.
For now, Linus Ullmark will be called upon to be the Bruins full-time starter, though it may not be for long. There is no official update on Swayman yet, but Matt Porter of the Boston Globe tweeted last night that the netminder was walking around the dressing room with ice on his knee and no crutches.
If he has avoided any serious damage, the Bruins should be totally fine with an Ullmark-Kinkaid tandem for the time being. There are certainly worse third-string options to have available.
Charlie McAvoy “Ahead Of Schedule” In Recovery
After receiving an arthroscopic shoulder procedure in early June, Boston Bruins All-Star defenseman Charlie McAvoy is ahead of schedule in his recovery, writes The Boston Globe’s Matt Porter.
Originally set to return around the first of December, it’s now seeming the Bruins could reach full health sooner rather than later. McAvoy was cleared for contact today for the first time this season, taking full practice with the team.
Head coach Jim Montgomery cautions that McAvoy’s return isn’t imminent, however, and he won’t be returning a month earlier than anticipated like his fellow All-Star, Brad Marchand. Montgomery said he remains hopeful McAvoy’s return will come before the Thanksgiving break, but also confirmed he won’t play on this week’s three-game road trip.
The Bruins will likely take their time reacclimating McAvoy to the lineup. As he missed all of training camp and the preseason, the 24-year-old still needs to adapt to Montgomery’s new system, which has the team chugging along with an 8-1-0 record to begin the year.
While Hampus Lindholm has been spectacular in McAvoy’s absence, the Bruins still remain without a top-10 defenseman in the league in their lineup. Coming off a career-high 56 points last season, McAvoy is poised to take another step forward this season, adding a terrifying element to a Bruins team that’s already exceeding expectations in their “Last Dance”-esque season.
David Krejci Placed On IR
- Boston Bruins forward David Krejci will miss at least the next few days with an upper-body injury. He now appears on the Bruins injured reserve list, meaning he’ll miss seven days since his last game. Still, head coach Jim Montgomery said that his veteran center will be traveling with the club and shouldn’t be out too long.