Former Boston Bruins coach Mike Milbury is facing charges after allegedly grabbing and shaking a 12-year-old who was playing in a hockey game against his son last week, Brookline police said today.


Mike Milbury in New York earlier this year (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)Police are seeking charges of assault and battery on a child, threatening to commit a crime, and disorderly conduct.

“Mike Milbury denies any allegations that there was an assault of any kind. He simply intervened in an altercation between his son and an opposing player. No one was struck, no one was injured, and no one was threatened,” said Daniel Rabinovitz, Milbury’s attorney.

The incident occurred on Dec. 9 at the Jack Kirrane Ice Skating Rink at Larz Anderson Park, where Milbury was acting as assistant coach for the Boch Blazers, one of the teams in the game, police said. Milbury’s son plays on the Blazers.

Brookline Police Captain Thomas Keaveney said it is alleged that there was some talk back and forth between Milbury’s son and the 12-year-old boy on the other team and that talk caused the former Bruins player and coach to come on the ice and grab the 12-year-old.

Milbury allegedly grabbed the boy by his shirt collar, picked him up, and shook him before some other coaches stepped in and broke it up, Keaveney said.

The boy did not require medical attention, but Keaveney said an investigation began the next day when a parent who had seen the incident called police.

Keaveney said it’s his understanding that Milbury is out of town right now, but he will be summonsed for a hearing before a clerk magistrate at Brookline District Court, who will determine if there is probable cause for the charges to go forward.

Keaveney said that with four children of his own that have played sports, it didn’t surprise him to hear about the alleged assault.

“I’ve seen a lot of irresponsible things done by adults and Mike Milbury is no different in my mind. Now, again, these are just allegations that he committed this,” he said.

Milbury is a former NHL player, coach, and general manager, and currently a studio analyst for NBC’s NHL “Game of the Week.” He is also an NHL analyst for NESN in Boston and TSN in Canada, according to a biography posted on msnbc.com.

Milbury played 11 seasons with the Bruins. In his first season coaching, 1989-90, the Bruins went to the Stanley Cup finals. After a second season, he went to the New York Islanders, where he rose to be general manager and senior vice president, the biography on the website said.

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