Management Cam Neely had a vision and hired Sweeney - 3 years later he was right

[Fenway]

Three years ago the Bruins were a mess and ownership decided to fire Peter Chiarelli and after looking around decided to stay in-house and promoted Don Sweeney to GM.

It was the right call though at the time it was fiercely debated on this board. My feeling is Sweeney sold Neely on what needed to be done and Cam, in turn, sold Charlie and Papa Jacobs on the concept.

Papa Jacobs had to accept that missing the playoffs was better in the long term. After the NHL absorbed the WHA in 1979, you had 16 of 21 teams making the playoffs - Today it is 16 of 31.

Let's give Cam his due as he put his neck on the line and today heading into the playoffs the Bruins are the team nobody wants to meet.

Six months ago NOBODY saw the Bruins being in the position they are today.

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[Krupp]

My avatar speaks for my opinion.

#Sweenius

 

[ODAAT]

put me down as one who didn`t have much of an issue with the hiring of DS but one who didn`t think Neely was the person who should be sitting in the President`s seat. I`m not sure why I`m still on the fence with him being in that spot, gotta give my head another shake I guess

 

[Bruinaura]

I know nothing about front office stuff, but I'm happy with what's on the ice, so Sweeney gets a thumbs up from me.

Plus I love when the Bruins are winning and they show Sweeney upstairs, looking down at the ice with this little smile, like his grand plan is all coming together.

 

[FREDERIC82FAN]

I know nothing about front office stuff, but I'm happy with what's on the ice, so Sweeney gets a thumbs up from me.[/QUOTE]

I feel the same way. What I feel is impressive, is the fact that management stuck with the plan they felt was best in the long run. They moved popular players not in that plan. They drafted players that fit in that plan. They traded for players that fit in that plan. I love watching teams like Montreal and Edmonton flounder around because they have no overall plan or don't stick with one when the going gets rough.

 

[Ice Nine]

I had confidence in DS but admittedly, was always concerned that Neely would not let him fully control operations and make the changes he wanted to make. Seems like that concern was unfounded.

 

[Patrice37]

put me down as one who didn`t have much of an issue with the hiring of DS but one who didn`t think Neely was the person who should be sitting in the President`s seat. I`m not sure why I`m still on the fence with him being in that spot, gotta give my head another shake I guess

This 100%. I have a lot of faith in DS now after what he's proven but I will always question whether Neely should be in his role or more of an "ambassador" role. I don't like him being involved in hockey operations and I hope that as the team continues to roll and grow, DS wields more power over hockey decisions.

 

[BNHL]

I'm not sure how anyone knows what Neely's power or role truly is,kind of like the confusion over Sinden/Jacobs or Milbury/Wang.

 

[veganbruin]

I’m still mad at Neely over approving the Seguin deal.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

I’m still mad at Neely over approving the Seguin deal.

Christ, move on and enjoy the here and now.

 

[chizzler]

Stuck to my guns and backed both. Reactionary around here. Especially with Neely. Loved when he said that you can’t win 0-0. He was watching a boring style just like we were. Glad they made the move to Sweeney.

 

[Therick67]

Only makes sense, if he was getting the blame before - he should get credited now.

 

[BNHL]

I’m still mad at Neely over approving the Seguin deal.

Look higher

 

[chizzler]

I’m still mad at Neely over approving the Seguin deal.

Approving deal wasn’t the problem. The return was. That was Chiarelli.

 

[LouJersey]

Can't say I am shocked that there are barely any posts here. Human nature I guess to be unwilling to step forward and say how wrong you were about something. I'm glad most of the "negative only" posters are gone, but I'm sure they will be back in droves if or when we lose in the play-offs.

Cam and Dom deserve kudos here. Neely never struck me as the most patient guy but he was DEAD ON about Julien. Should have been gone at very least after that dead team got outscored 7-1 by the Habs in games 6-7.

Sweenius has just been amazing. Even someone like me who liked the plan got frustrated at times. he was able to ink two thirds of the best line in hockey to a combined 12.8 millon over the next SIX HOCKEY SEASONS. Astounding. He had more faith in these kids then probably any of us, and he modelled it after Pittsburgh a bit I think, seeing how they had another run in them with their core with a bunch of years in between cups. Not saying we are going to win the Cup, but we are certainly in position to. Two years ago not many thought that would be possible.

I really like what's been done with people he has brought in. Cassidy wasn't a popular choice to be groomed as coach, but he's amazing. Then all those ex-Devils who grew up around hall of famers and were coached by all time greats like Lemaire and Larry Robinson. If I am looking for a head coach next year, my first and only call is going to Kevin Dean. His work with the new defensive corps is pretty unmatched IMO. He and Cassidy have groomed Carlo, McAvoy and Gryz in three successive years. These three give the appearance of 12-15 year above average NHL careers. There was a time between Bourque and Chara where the Bruins couldn't develop a defenseman to save their lives. The only guys I can really say we groomed were Boychuk, Kevan and McQuaid, and they were drafted by other teams, and only one of them was high end.

This team, while not perfect, is a team I feel we can go to battle with, and an entertaining, hard working, never say die group. That's all we ask for,

 

[C0ach B0mbay]

Let's give Cam his due as he put his neck on the line and today heading into the playoffs the Bruins are the team nobody wants to meet.

This is a great point. With all the success this year, the accolades have been (mostly) directed at Sweeney and Cassidy. Neely deserves huge credit. And I was one that lost total confidence in him after dealing Seguin.

It's now becoming clear, as others have said above, that its the return that was the real problem. Chia's department.



Good thing Marchand didnt really start scoring until Chia was gone!

 

[N o o d l e s]

I remember when we were all bullshit at Cam and wanted him to have nothing to do with decision making, and we were justified.

A few seasons later and what a turnaround. Really amazing and a credit to both him and Sweeney and, of course, Cassidy.

 

[LSCII]

Firing Chiarelli was absolutely the correct move at the time. Replacing him with Sweeney has proven to be a good move. Retaining Claude for 2 more years? Not so much. While I like what has transpired over the course of the last year and a half, let's not pretend it was all rainbows and unicorns. There were some mistakes and miscues along the way, but the current direction of this team is really exciting to watch.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

I was very wrong. Certainly drafts could have been different or this or that but then it just as easily could have gone worse not better.

I thought Claude was the right coach but Cassidy has proven that very wrong.

This team is fun by the new NHL standards. I yearn for hits and fights but at least collectively our players seem to give a crap and don't go through the systematic motions most teams do these days (Claude.)

 

[JRull86]

I was typing out a response to our resident Blackhawks bandwagoner in the GDT about our retool, and I closed the tab by accident.

I'm amazed at what the management team has been able to accomplish.

Preisdent's Trophy in 2014, still under Chia, get bounced early. Have a monster draft in Pasta, Bjork, Donato, Heinen (Thanks Chia!).

Since then, they've re-signed core pieces to fair, if not team friendly deals, drafted well, and they've completely rebuilt the prospect pool.

There will always be a debate around Barzal, etc. but Sweeney has mostly nailed his drafting, an area that was killing this team under Chia, and they are reaping the benefits of it already.

The only complaints I really have is that he held onto Claude a half of a season too long. He should've gotten canned after the second DNQ. Maybe they don't hire Cassidy though if he didn't spend that half a season as an assistant. Another area I think they've been lacking on since they is the pro scouting aspect, but even that's gotten better.

All in all, was happy with the hire, but I've been super impressed with how quickly this has come together all things considered.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

This is a great point. With all the success this year, the accolades have been (mostly) directed at Sweeney and Cassidy. Neely deserves huge credit. And I was one that lost total confidence in him after dealing Seguin.

It's now becoming clear, as others have said above, that its the return that was the real problem. Chia's department.



Good thing Marchand didnt really start scoring until Chia was gone!

Chiarelli was a major franchise altering problem at the end but Kessel is different as is Wheeler.

Wheeler wasn't the player he is today and Peverley helped us win the Cup.

Krejci helped us more than Kessel would have.

Seguin needed to go but terrible trade.

Hall was just a brutal trade from the start.

 

[Bruin1970]

I'm not ready to give Sweeney all this credit. I think it goes to Butch. Seriously. Sweeney made boneheaded draft moves. Barzal and Connor were on the board (and the consensus picks). I love Debrusk, but at this point the other picks look really bad. You take best player available. Always. Butch is the reason they are so good right now. Developing good young players is due to coaching and veteran players. McAvoy is amazing, but that was not a surprise pick. I like Sweeney, but to say their success is due to his genius is silliness.

Chia was a poison. I also agree that the Seguin trade is blood on Neely's hands as much as Chia. The idea that "Seguin had to go" is total BS concocted by the Boston media. He is ripping up the league on a crappy Dallas team. Kid was 21. That is bad management.

 

[LSCII]

Chiarelli was a major franchise altering problem at the end but Kessel is different as is Wheeler.

Wheeler wasn't the player he is today and Peverley helped us win the Cup.

Krejci helped us more than Kessel would have.

Seguin needed to go but terrible trade.

Hall was just a brutal trade from the start.

There is literally no way to reasonably prove this to be true. Kessel has been a dynamite playoff performer since his time here.

As for Seguin, I don't see why he needed to go, but even if that were true and they needed to move him, the return was so putrid that it set the team back years.

As for Wheeler, he was a highly skilled player coming into the league so to say his becoming what he is now was unexpected is a tad disingenuous. I would also say that while Peverley contributed to that cup run, you can't definitively say Wheeler couldn't have also contributed or that they couldn't have gotten a similar role player for less at the deadline.

The moved worked out and they won, so cashing in the valuable chip like Wheeler is water under the bridge, but you cannot say they had to. Just like if they were to magically go on and win now, Spooner could potentially be the next Wheeler.

 

[BruinDust]

There is literally no way to reasonably prove this to be true. Kessel has been a dynamite playoff performer since his time here.

As for Seguin, I don't see why he needed to go, but even if that were true and they needed to move him, the return was so putrid that it set the team back years.

As for Wheeler, he was a highly skilled player coming into the league so to say his becoming what he is now was unexpected is a tad disingenuous. I would also say that while Peverley contributed to that cup run, you can't definitively say Wheeler couldn't have also contributed or that they couldn't have gotten a similar role player for less at the deadline.

The moved worked out and they won, so cashing in the valuable chip like Wheeler is water under the bridge, but you cannot say they had to. Just like if they were to magically go on and win now, Spooner could potentially be the next Wheeler.

Exactly. And I don't know why folks may it out like the Bruins had a choice to make, Krejci or Kessel, and chose Krejci.

Kessel didn't want to be in Boston.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

Firing Chiarelli was absolutely the correct move at the time. Replacing him with Sweeney has proven to be a good move. Retaining Claude for 2 more years? Not so much. While I like what has transpired over the course of the last year and a half, let's not pretend it was all rainbows and unicorns. There were some mistakes and miscues along the way, but the current direction of this team is really exciting to watch.