Milbury charged in youth game incident

Mike Halford

Dec 16, 2011, 1:55 PM EDT

36 Comments

Former NHL player and current hockey analyst Mike Milbury has been charged with assault and battery on a 12-year-old boy during a pee-wee game last Friday night (Dec. 9) in Brookline, Mass.

Milbury, 59, played more than 1,500 games in the NHL for the Boston Bruins. He also spent time as an NHL coach and general manager.

Milbury allegedly assaulted a child on the Boston Junior Black Hawks in a game against the Boch Blazers, for whom Milbury serves as an assistant coach and his son plays. The incident allegedly occurred on the ice in response to a confrontation between the child and Milbury’s son.

Milbury is a hockey analyst for NBC, CBC and NESN.

Update (4:05 p.m. ET): Milbury denies allegations

Update (5:05 p.m. ET): Statement from an NBC Sports Group spokesperson: “In our discussions with Mike, we both came to the conclusion that he should remain off the air while focusing on his affairs.”

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36 Comments (Feed for Comments)

solador78 - Dec 16, 2011 at 1:59 PM

Fire the bum!
sippindasyzurp - Dec 16, 2011 at 1:59 PM

I really hope these networks mentioned above turf this fool… I can’t speak for the American folks, but I can’t stand this guy on CBC.
davebabychreturns - Dec 16, 2011 at 2:01 PM

Obviously Mike Milbury won’t stand for the pansification of pee wee hockey.
- elvispocomo - Dec 16, 2011 at 2:05 PM
  
  Zing!
- elvispocomo - Dec 16, 2011 at 2:10 PM
  
  Better yet, from twitter:
  
  @BlueLineStation: REPORT: Mike Milbury was offered only $5,000 bond, but instead negotiated a deal for $1,000,000 plus a first round pick for his release.
- michiganhockey11 - Dec 16, 2011 at 3:50 PM
  
  Old time hockey, Eddie Shore!!!
elvispocomo - Dec 16, 2011 at 2:05 PM

Did he try and beat the kid with his own shoe?!

In all seriousness, Milbury is horrible to watch on TV, and I hope CBC in Canada uses this as an excuse to drop him. I feel for hockey fans watching on Versus/NBC, since from the several times I’ve seen his commentary there, he obviously takes the hate and idiocy down about 3 notches for CBC’s broadcasts to at least make it semi-palatable.
hulkhogan69 - Dec 16, 2011 at 2:05 PM

Mike Milbury better be fired by Vs and NBC. Honestly, I have no idea why he was hired in the first place.Milbury’s stint as the Islanders GM proved he knows nothing about Hockey, Nobody can deny he was a historically bad GM.. I guess Nbc wanted their version of Don Cherry except even stupider and more xenophobic.
- bcisleman - Dec 16, 2011 at 4:59 PM
  
  Cherry is entertaining at least.
spizzjr - Dec 16, 2011 at 2:17 PM

1 month in jail for every player he traded away from the islanders
- michiganhockey11 - Dec 16, 2011 at 3:51 PM
  
  ROTF!!! That’s great!
solador78 - Dec 16, 2011 at 2:18 PM

-irritability
-anxiety
-trouble concentrating
-memory problems
-sensitivity to noise or light

Hmm, I wonder what his problem could be…
freebie717 - Dec 16, 2011 at 2:20 PM

Anyone know if Milbury was wearing both of his shoes when he was arrested?
jpelle82 - Dec 16, 2011 at 2:29 PM

in his defense and without knowing the details of the incident i will offer this up…as an adult you cant even break up a fight without getting charged with assault these days. you touch someone else’s kid, you’re in trouble. anyone can take out a warrant on anyone they want if they get the right magistrate to do it for them. unless the police were there and saw the incident themselves, its up to the victim to bring their side of the story to officials and then its up to the accused to prove their innocence. hopefully someone caught it on video. either way i wont miss him if he is gone from tv…but i’m not passing judgement on him yet
- solador78 - Dec 16, 2011 at 3:18 PM
  
  “The incident allegedly occurred on the ice in response to a confrontation between the child and Milbury’s son.”
  
  It’s the refs who break up fights on the ice, not coaches.
  - east96st - Dec 16, 2011 at 4:48 PM
    
    I wasn’t there, so I’m not going to judge. But, yes, if you have competent refs, they handle it. But as a coach of kids soccer, we had a nasty brawl break out because the teenage refs blatantly ignored an increasing nasty and aggressive game and when the fight started, they walked off the field. As a coach do you stand on the sideline and watch kids get pummeled or do you get in between kids and let them hit you instead of each other? I chose to be the punching bag. Luckily, one of the mom’s was video taping the game, so there was proof that all I did was get between two kids and take my player off the field while the other kid was still punching me. I’m not saying Milbury is innocent. I’m just not ready to condemn the guy yet. It’s possible the refs failed to protect the kids and the other parents recognized him and saw dollar signs. There a lot of people who see lawsuits against people who are in the public eye as winning the lottery.
govtminion - Dec 16, 2011 at 2:39 PM

What does it say about sports this year that my first thought upon seeing this headline earlier today was “Please tell me he just beat the kid up and didn’t molest him.”?
michiganhockey11 - Dec 16, 2011 at 3:02 PM

As much as I dont’ care to listen to him on NBC , I would like to know more details on what went down. Thought I find him intolerable at times and would rather hear Grapes ranting/raving, we all need the details.

After all, wasn’t this the guy that climbed into the stands w/his skates on and fought with people in the seats when he was a Bruin?
arsement - Dec 16, 2011 at 3:04 PM

Milbury is such a Debbie Downer. His demeanor, body language, comments, even the way he looks at the camera puts out such a negative vibe.

Maybe it’s just his style of presentation but it’s not very attractive or entertaining to watch, and I don’t see how anyone can enjoy it. I sit there and think, “This guy acts like such a little bitch ALL the damn time and always has something negative to say!”
1943mrmojorisin1971 - Dec 16, 2011 at 3:21 PM

I agree with everyone who hopes all his current employers drop him like the sack of sh*t he is. He comes very close to ruining HNIC for me and it seems on NBC he has free reign to be a million times more obnoxious. Get rid of him ASAP
- michiganhockey11 - Dec 16, 2011 at 3:38 PM
  
  Wait, it has been a while since I;ve gotten to watch HNIC. (used to live in SE Michigan and could get out over the air out of Windsor). Did you just say that this clown is on HNIC now??? Is nothing sacred?
  
  That’s like Grapes using Celine Dion for the theme song to his old show running up to HNIC instead of sharp dressed man by ZZ Top.
  - 1943mrmojorisin1971 - Dec 16, 2011 at 5:19 PM
    
    Yup, single-handedly ruins the Satellite Hot Stove during the 2nd intermission. He constantly tries to bait Ron et. al. into petty arguments but they’re just so above him and his antics.
michiganhockey11 - Dec 16, 2011 at 3:34 PM

I would be very surprised to see him along Pierre when hockey goes on NBC after football is done.
drewsylvania - Dec 16, 2011 at 3:36 PM

FWIW, the statement:

“Milbury is a hockey analyst for NBC, CBC and NESN.”

is inaccurate–he’s no longer with NESN as of this season.
- michiganhockey11 - Dec 16, 2011 at 3:41 PM
  
  Soon to be “Milbury is an analyst for………..nothing”
elvispocomo - Dec 16, 2011 at 3:44 PM

Judging from the responses, it’s apparent that Milbury should not have a job related to hockey. It’s nice to see there’s one thing we can all actually agree on!
- michiganhockey11 - Dec 16, 2011 at 3:49 PM
  
  Maybe a journeyman electrical line worker? Parking enforcement officer in Boston? Working the perfume counter at Elder-Bearman or Sears?
  - michiganhockey11 - Dec 16, 2011 at 4:06 PM
    
    Springfield Isotopes mascot? Duff-Man?
- Nowhere Man - Dec 16, 2011 at 4:04 PM
  
  Mike Milbury: Uniting the people through idiocy!
bcisleman - Dec 16, 2011 at 5:03 PM

Hopefully RDP will retire or be bought out and he can start a consulting firm with Mad Mike. They can teach prospective GMs how to ruin hockey franchises.
stakex - Dec 16, 2011 at 5:56 PM

I love how everyone is screaming for his head, yet none of you have ANY clue what actually happened. When I played pee-wee hockey the police were called to the rink on more then one occasion becasue parents over reacted to situations. It is very possible Milbury was simply breaking up a fight as he said and another parent didn’t like the way he did it and pressed charges. Thats just the way people are these days, and unless there is video evidence showing otherwise its way to early to jump on Milbury for this.

Sure the refs should be the ones breaking up fights, but I can think of a dozen reasons why the coaches would be breaking them up as well. Perhaps it was as the game ended and the coaches were on the ice? Perhaps it was before the game? Perhaps it was a big fight involving more then just a couple players? Perhaps it was behidn the play and Mulburys kid was in trouble so he rushed in to help him? I could keep going but I think you get the point. Until there are details available, its way to early to call for Mulbury’s head.

Side Note: Before someone says “Well the police would never arrest someone if an assault didn’t actually happen”… your wrong. Last year at the rink in which I play open hockey a man was arrested for a simple shove during an open hockey session. It wouldn’t have even been a penelty during a hockey game, but some whinny brat ran to the rink office and called the police. The cop that showed up knew nothing about hockey, and promptly arrested the guy for assault. Mind you this was something that happened between two adults… now imagine what could come from someone trying to break up a fight between kids. Even pulling the kids apart could be enough for some idiot parent to call the police on you, and cops these days are so arrest happy they don’t even look at the facts before they act.
pdmjr - Dec 16, 2011 at 6:54 PM

Isn’t he the professor of goonism? Oh wait, he called Bob Johnson that. Imagine calling “Badger Bob”
that name. What a tool and that bald goof you work with
habsman - Dec 16, 2011 at 7:26 PM

No way this guy gets suspended, he was once a Bruin, and we all know Bruins dont get suspended.
carol6645 - Dec 17, 2011 at 8:46 PM

I’ve noticed the Boston team gets away with lots of illegal hits but they DO get concussions.
No doubt Lucic and others play concussed.
That’s why they play crazy. Their brains are screwed up!
Look at Miller. He can’t get his great play back after Lucic’s irresponsible hit. He’s out there still injured.
Lots of guys like Crosby may never be the same players. Just a fact. I’ve seen it in NASCAR racing. Same old story in all sports.
- govtminion - Dec 19, 2011 at 12:21 PM
  
  What… in the hell… are you talking about?
ynotflyers - Dec 19, 2011 at 1:54 AM

I’m not the guys biggest fan, actually I don’t really like him at all but it can’t be that he was the only parent involved….was there any other persons charged…..I mean it’s not really news worthy here if we saw the headline Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones (sorry Jones’e)….and when all is said and done….Any Father can tell you it’s really hard if it’s your son…..easy access to the ice would make it even harder….But I still ain’t sending him a Xmas Card….

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Older » Milbury charged in youth game incident

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