Devils 2021-22 team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - part XII

[Bleedred]

Wasn't Myles Bell the big sniper that scored like 100 goals in a year in the ECHL? I know it wasn't 100 but I think it was A LOT, but it was only in the ECHL.

 

[FinnishDevil]

I dont even know whats worse. Him doing this or USA Hockey covering it up.

 

[Lou is God]

Wasn't Myles Bell the big sniper that scored like 100 goals in a year in the ECHL? I know it wasn't 100 but I think it was A LOT, but it was only in the ECHL.

10 goals in 41 ECHL games:

Myles Bell Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

 

[NJDevs26]

I dont even know whats worse. Him doing this or USA Hockey covering it up.

Doesn’t look like USA Hockey leadership has gotten any better since then either, with another disgraced ex-Devil as their GM. Hopefully the Hughes family takes over someday and shitcans all the useless cronies

 

[Camille the Eel]

Ex-NHL Forward Reid Boucher Pleads Guilt to Assault Against a Minor

According to a report from the Detroit Free Press, former Vancouver Canucks forward Reid Boucher pled guilty to third-degree criminal sexual assault against a minor, stemming from two incidents that occurred back in 2011.

As the charges illustrate, Boucher, who was 17 at the time and a member of the United States National Development Program, forced his then-12-year-old billet sister to perform oral sex on him on two occasions, doing so by threatening to blackmail her with a video initially, and then later threatening to tell people about their first (non-consensual) encounter.

Is the Detroit Free Press account accurate? It is most disturbing indeed. But then why did the court do what it did?

 

[Camille the Eel]

Yeah no let’s not do that. Yes 17 isn’t 12. 17 is still a high schooler. Reid was probably idk like 21 at that point. The 17 year old is clearly the victim in that scenario. Then there’s the added power dynamic of him being a pro hockey player.

Not surprised you say this considering the other comment.
17 year old preying on 12 year old=not a huge deal.
17 year old being preyed upon=“what’s that 17 year old doing talking to someone”

I did not say it was no big deal. I said the court is in a better position to judge because it is presumably more familiar with the facts.

 

[Bleedred]

10 goals in 41 ECHL games:

Myles Bell Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

I really thought it was more than that? Maybe he started out really hot with like a point a game and cratered in the last half of those 41 games? I even think he was picked for the ECHL all star game.

I used to laugh sometimes because we had nothing for prospects back then on forward (other than Miles Wood and Blake Coleman and not too many people were high on Coleman) and people would bring his name up like he'd actually ever be any count at the NHL level.

And then there were other times I got him confused with Myles Wood because they were both named Myles and drafted the same year.

 

[SKNJD9]

 

[None Shall Pass]

Is the Detroit Free Press account accurate? It is most disturbing indeed. But then why did the court do what it did?

According to the article, the victim herself is asking why the court was so lenient.

 

[jkrdevil]

Didn’t the Devils have several draft picks of Conte that ended up having these type of issues? I remember Merrill being suspended at Michigan for something sexual.

It’s harder to claim not knowing anything when you have multiple incidences that get over looked. Then it looks like you just don’t care.

 

[NJDevs26]

I can’t say I 100% believe him given all the other questionable characters they drafted but how would he have known if team USA and the court both swept this under the rug at the time?

 

[Blender]

I can’t say I 100% believe him given all the other questionable characters they drafted but how would he have known if team USA and the court both swept this under the rug at the time?

Yea, difficult to say whether the Devils knew or not. Seems very likely that the USNTDP knew about this and covered it up quietly.

 

[Camille the Eel]

According to the article, the victim herself is asking why the court was so lenient.

Yeah I am totally confused by it. Because the news accounts are so damning. But on the other hand there's something here that just doesn't add up. Because there's not just the judge there but a prosecuting attorney too and the judge won't accept a plea if the prosecutor doesn't recommend it. So why on these facts did the prosecutor recommend knocking down the offense? If the facts are as reported. I defended cases like this and prosecuted them too in my years at the bar and something here doesn't make sense. So maybe the news accounts aren't totally accurate? Why did the D.A. knock it down if it was a violent rape as reported? And as for the twitter accusation, I don't think we're at the point of convicting or enhancing punishment based upon tweets.

 

[Bleedred]

I thought the Merrill stuff happened after he we had already drafted him?

 

[My3Sons]

Years ago I remember hearing rumors that Reid was DMing girls for nudes within our fanbase.

Here's a tweet from a couple a years back too.



Seems like he didn't learn.

that’s horrible. At that point he’s got to be well into his 20s? He needs to be in a jail for thr criminally insane. My guess is he doesn’t realize what he’s doing is wrong and he needs jail but also therapy. Without years of therapy he can’t be allowed to function in society. We now have reason to believe his behavior is a pattern over a long period of time. That’s not going to go away because of probation.

Edit: as others have noted maybe he’s matured and realized the error of his ways but he has to learn that to be able to move forward. He needs some sort of rehabilitative punishment not just jail with a chance to make license plates and get a GED.

 

[GeNeXt]

I thought the Merrill stuff happened after he we had already drafted him?

I think Merrill might've had something occur in his draft year- sexual harrassment allegation per a Google search. He was projected to be a mid-to-late 1st rounder, but slipped due to it (If I recall correctly).

that’s horrible. At that point he’s got to be well into his 20s? He needs to be in a jail for thr criminally insane. My guess is he doesn’t realize what he’s doing is wrong and he needs jail but also therapy. Without years of therapy he can’t be allowed to function in society. We now have reason to believe his behavior is a pattern over a long period of time. That’s not going to go away because of probation.

Edit: as others have noted maybe he’s matured and realized the error of his ways but he has to learn that to be able to move forward. He needs some sort of rehabilitative punishment not just jail with a chance to make license plates and get a GED.

He was 20 to 23 while here with Merrill, so somewhere between that timeframe. Considering people on the internet can lie about their age and some girls/women throw themsevles at pro athletes, most players would get the benefit of the doubt, but now with this story coming to light about Boucher makes the optics that much worse and shows he did not learn anything.

 

[My3Sons]

I think Merrill might've had something occur in his draft year- sexual harrassment allegation per a Google search. He was projected to be a mid-to-late 1st rounder, but slipped due to it (If I recall correctly).



He was 20 to 23 while here with Merrill, so somewhere between that timeframe. Considering people on the internet can lie about their age and some girls/women throw themsevles at pro athletes, most players would get the benefit of the doubt, but now with this story coming to light about Boucher makes the optics that much worse and shows he did not learn anything.

i agree that a 17 year old girl is not necessarily known to a 21-22 year old kid depending upon where they met (was she ina bar as an underage for example) but the general predatory nature of what he did over time just sounds like a mental/emotional/cognitive problem. My concern is that if he just has that predatory streak and doesn’t understand it he will repeat it. You can’t let people like that loose in society.

 

[Emperoreddy]

 

[Emperoreddy]

Yeah I am totally confused by it. Because the news accounts are so damning. But on the other hand there's something here that just doesn't add up. Because there's not just the judge there but a prosecuting attorney too and the judge won't accept a plea if the prosecutor doesn't recommend it. So why on these facts did the prosecutor recommend knocking down the offense? If the facts are as reported. I defended cases like this and prosecuted them too in my years at the bar and something here doesn't make sense. So maybe the news accounts aren't totally accurate? Why did the D.A. knock it down if it was a violent rape as reported? And as for the twitter accusation, I don't think we're at the point of convicting or enhancing punishment based upon tweets.

From a bit of quick research, Michigan judges have full authority to treat certain crime committed between the ages of 17-24 committed by a "youthful trainee" and you get the record wiped after some classes and community service.

It's basically a 2nd chance law, and only certain sexual crimes make you ineligible for it, not all of them.

Some young Ingham County offenders avoid sexual assault convictions

It's essentially a loop hole in an act that's meant to give kids who committed retail crimes, partying, breaking an entering charges a second chance.

 

[SETHROLLINS]

Didn’t the Devils have several draft picks of Conte that ended up having these type of issues? I remember Merrill being suspended at Michigan for something sexual.

It’s harder to claim not knowing anything when you have multiple incidences that get over looked. Then it looks like you just don’t care.

Ben Johnson was a draft pick of ours and actually did time in jail for his crime.

 

[Billdo]

My memory is hazy, what did Myles Bell do?

Drove 113 mph, while drunk, and killed a young girl.

 

[Bleedred]

Drove 113 mph, while drunk, and killed a young girl.

Was alcohol involved? I figured if it were he definitely would have been finished and served a decent sentence.

 

[Billdo]

Was alcohol involved? I figured if it were he definitely would have been finished and served a decent sentence.

Evidently the drunk driving charges got thrown out but it was reported they were both drunk. He was ejected from the car, she wasn't, he went to the nearest house on a broken leg and by the time the cops or EMS got there she was already deceased.

 

[MadDevil]

Was alcohol involved? I figured if it were he definitely would have been finished and served a decent sentence.

According to the article posted earlier a charge of impaired driving was withdrawn, but I'm not sure if that was part of him pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing a death or what.

 

[Billdo]

Well Bouchers Instagram is now private and I've been blocked. f*** off and rot.