Bruins announce new policies in wake of Mitchell Miller signing

An independent review of the signing of Mitchell Miller by the Boston Bruins was released on Thursday.

The investigation was led by a former U.S. Attorney General and involved thousands of documents.

There was no wrongdoing by Boston's employees in the initial vetting of Miller according to the Bruins' release.

The process for vetting future players is one of the steps the team is announcing today. "These improvements will help ensure that we are meeting the high standards our associates, fans and community expect from this great organization."

Policies should be put in place when it comes to player acquisitions.

• Thorough vetting and documented resolution are required for off-ice conduct.

• The organization should have clear deadlines and responsibilities for investigating prospects' community or other off-ice commitments.

• Centralized documentation of vetting to include reporting on red flags and off-ice issues is needed to ensure that all stakeholders are involved in the process.

• Track responsibilities for vetting tasks to make sure they are assigned and tracked.

• When reviewing red flags, use third-party resources to investigate factual issues.

• Depending on the nature of the red flags, the prospect should participate in a training or rehabilitation program.

There were gaps in Boston's system that prevented them from dealing with red flags like Miller. Miller pleaded guilty in juvenile court in 2016 to one count of assault and one count of violation of the Ohio Safe Schools Act after he and another teenager were accused of harassing a black student with a learning disability.

Miller was a fourth-round draft choice by the ArizonaCoyotes. When news of Miller's past was made public, the University of North Dakota removed him from the team.

Miller was brought on by Boston anyways. When they decided to give Miller a second chance, the Bruins said they had done their homework. Their decision was met with swift backlash that deepened when it became clear Boston hadn't spoken to Meyer- Cramer about what Miller did, nor did the Bruins consult the NHL or AHL about Miller's eligibility to play games.

Miller is still under contract with the club.