Management Don Sweeney III

[rocketdan9]

C- only because he unloaded Heinen.
He should have seen they were not big enough or tough enough after last years finals, in an attempt to fix this he added two Ritchies instead of a Maroon as an FA or Miles Wood. He is incapable of addressing the lack of size and grit on this team and it continues to cost them. A good regular season team built on speed, lack of size, lack of heart and lack of grit isn't winning in the playoffs.

He STILL has not gotten a second line RW continually using the excuse of filling from within or with AHL level talent. This by itself should get him fired.

He had drafted averagely after 2015 which was a disaster but there is no top end talent in the prospect pool.

He does a great job on contracts for the most part, he badly overpaid Heinen and Backes but fixed it, even though it cost them a first round pick.

He is mediocre at best and hopefully this playoff failure will be his end here

Maroon only cost TBL 900k for a one year deal too

 

[rocketdan9]

I'd give him a B.

The good

Backes/Kase trade. Seriously we didn't get a chance to see the best of Kase, but the chances of getting a comparable player who would be an NHL player AND entering his prime at age 24-25 with the 27th overall pick in this years draft is pretty low really. He's just as good as Kapanen and Pitts just gave up a mid-round 1st and a nice prospect picked in the 2nd round. AND he got rid of most of Backes contract, which we now know with a flat cap, is going to be even more important than it was at the time.

Extended Coyle, Wagner, Bjork, Lauzon and Halak all to reasonable extensions.

The bad

The Ritchie/Heinen trade. Heinen had lost his place in the line-up by the time the deal was made, but after seeing Ritchie in a Bruins uniform (can't say I seen much of him in Anaheim), he didn't get fair value for a player like Heinen. Granted Ritchie isn't old and CAN improve. I said in another thread I believe he was playing at over 250 lbs when he came back in the RTP, far too heavy for him. He needs to get a least down to the 220 range, even 215. Endurance was an issue for him to keep up to the playoff pace.

And he needs to seriously work on his skating. He was a better skater in junior than he is now. Lacks a good first step, edge work is questionable at times.

Does he have enough time between now and the start of next season to pull it together? Because Cassidy has no time for him on his 4th line of defensive specialists. So where does he fit? Sad to say but if I was a betting man I'd say he falls out of favor next year, winds up in the same apartment in Providence his brother Brett occupied this year, and simply isn't tendered a qualifying offer next summer.

Don't hold your breath on Ritchie

Unless he has vet exception/bypass, I can't see how he beats out a guy like Frederic next season for a spot in the lineup. Frederic is a much better skater. Imo he has little to nothing left to learn down at Providence

 

[Fenian24]

Maroon only cost TBL 900k for a one year deal too

When I suggested him in the off season it was like I suggested bringing in Dave Schultz, at his current age.

Think a guy like Maroon going to the net instead of Ritchie, Bjork or Lindholm would have made a difference? Think he would have watched Paquette run McAvoy with no response? How about when Rask got concussed in the regular season and they all played Cassidy hockey and did nothing?

 

[BruinDust]

Don't hold your breath on Ritchie

Unless he has vet exception/bypass, I can't see how he beats out a guy like Frederic next season for a spot in the lineup. Frederic is a much better skater. Imo he has little to nothing left to learn down at Providence

Don't worry, I'm not.

But this is the same team that gave Jimmy Hayes far more chances than he ever deserved despite Ritchie-level performance. I have no doubt given what Sweeney just traded from him (a decent asset in Heinen), he'll get more than one chance next year.

 

[mjhfb]

My main gripe has always been the last few years he never just "went all in for it". Even knowing the core was approaching (or at) the end, and with arguably 3 HOF'ers on roster to accommodate one last real push, he always took a measured approach. I can't give him better than a B for that reason alone.

 

[Riverfront]

rask was a big obstacle to overcome. No matter how you twist and turn it. Vezina trophy candidate , was one of the main reasons B's went to
final last year and would have been one of the main reasons if the bruins would have made the final this year. Halak is a back up and you
don't advance by not having a #1 playing like a #1 in such a tight NHL league.

 

[Dr Hook]

Don't worry, I'm not.

But this is the same team that gave Jimmy Hayes far more chances than he ever deserved despite Ritchie-level performance. I have no doubt given what Sweeney just traded from him (a decent asset in Heinen), he'll get more than one chance next year.

Yes, this is the same group that also used Matt Beleskey and David Backes far past their sell by date. Ritchie will be back in the lineup with a spot that he just about can't lose next season. Frederic (or any young player) is going to have to be beyond lights out to force Ritchie to the press box or Providence.

 

[MattFromFranklin]

We have an aging roster, limited cap space, and very few young players who are (and can) be big difference makers, both on the team and in the pipeline. Sweeney is largely responsible for this, given the abominations that were the Backes, Beleskey, and Hayes acquisitions that prevented money going elsewhere to players who are actually productive, and the 2015 draft. From a drafting perspective, the team seems to be obsessed with gritty 200 foot players with limited offensive upside as opposed to actually scoring goals. How they have not learned their lesson (Frederic over Beecher, Vak over Thomas, Beecher over Brink and Kaliyev) is beyond me, and is extremely concerning. My fear is that the team will be slowly getting worse over the next few years. I think Sweeney gets canned within the next few years, and I honestly wouldn't be shocked if it's next year if there is an early exit. Personally, I think we should break up the old boys club and bring in someone who has no connection to the Bruins organization. Neely can go too as he has signed off on numerous decisions that have hurt this team, and frankly, I don't think he brings much to the table.

 

[BruinDust]

Yes, this is the same group that also used Matt Beleskey and David Backes far past their sell by date. Ritchie will be back in the lineup with a spot that he just about can't lose next season. Frederic (or any young palyer) is going to have to be beyond lights out to force Ritchie to the press box or Providence.

I actually think his leash from Cassidy will be fairly short. He'll be in and out of the line-up, mostly rotating on Line 3. Meaning he'll get his chances, but ultimately I don't think Cassidy has any use for him, similar to how he had no use for Backes. It'll be up to Sweeney and Co. to decide when to cut ties and it won't be early on, maybe by next years deadline (whenever that will be).

 

[Dr Hook]

I actually think his leash from Cassidy will be fairly short. He'll be in and out of the line-up, mostly rotating on Line 3. Meaning he'll get his chances, but ultimately I don't think Cassidy has any use for him, similar to how he had no use for Backes. It'll be up to Sweeney and Co. to decide when to cut ties and it won't be early on, maybe by next years deadline (whenever that will be).

Fair enough! But I will add to this that Ritchie (Or Backes, or Hayes or Beleskey) gets far more rope for shit performance than most of the young guys get (Heinen, Bjork, Stud, Senyshyn, Cehlarik, Frederic) and it is this that makes me a bit pessimistic. Ideally Ritchie will get his act together be the third line force he is capable of being.

 

[BruinDust]

Fair enough! But I will add to this that Ritchie (Or Backes, or Hayes or Beleskey) gets far more rope for shit performance than most of the young guys get (Heinen, Bjork, Stud, Senyshyn, Cehlarik, Frederic) and it is this that makes me a bit pessimistic. Ideally Ritchie will get his act together be the third line force he is capable of being.

I don't think Sweeney and Co. are alone in this regard. Looking at those guys you mentioned, two were big term/$$$ UFA signings, the two others were trades were decently valuable assets were sent the other way (Smith/Heinen). I think it's natural to want your high profile moves to succeed and ultimately they get more chances than a young guy they can scratch or send back to Providence.

 

[bp13]

While we are on the topic of Ritchie, that's yet another failed attempt by Sweeney to add grit to the fringe of our top 9. The Donato-Coyle deal was a steal, and he's easily our most physical player. But Backes, Hayes, Beleskey, Ritchie, etc. are all failed acquisitions. Whoever is leading the charge in that group to add "truculence" might be right to try to do so, but he/she doesn't know the right players to acquire.

 

[Estlin]

You might be the most optimistic Bruin fan I have come across

You clearly haven't read posts by Jean Jacket

 

[Estlin]

While we are on the topic of Ritchie, that's yet another failed attempt by Sweeney to add grit to the fringe of our top 9. The Donato-Coyle deal was a steal, and he's easily our most physical player. But Backes, Hayes, Beleskey, Ritchie, etc. are all failed acquisitions. Whoever is leading the charge in that group to add "truculence" might be right to try to do so, but he/she doesn't know the right players to acquire.

My money's on Neely. I can't imagine that the Ritchie for Heinen swap and the Zac Rinaldo deal, for example, were Sweeney's idea.

 

[loosemoose]

I give him credit for revamping the D, but he has done absolutely nothing to address the forward depth in the 5 years he has been in charge. Trading Reilly Smith - who isn't necessarily the most exciting player in the world, but by god would the Bruins use an actually capable player like him against the likes of Tampa - for Jimmy Hayes really exemplifies his mismanagement at that department.

 

[bp13]

My money's on Neely. I can't imagine that the Ritchie for Heinen swap and the Zac Rinaldo deal, for example, were Sweeney's idea.

Well ultimately DS made the trade and he's GM, so it's on him. But if they're gonna stay on the hunt for size, and my bet after this series is that they will, find a new scout to do it because whoever has been doing it sucks at it.

 

[UncleRico]

I think the bigger need is getting Neely out of here rather than don sweeney. Trades and signings like backes, beleskey and Ritchie were probably Neely over seeing and forcing the issue

 

[GordonHowe]

Yes, this is the same group that also used Matt Beleskey and David Backes far past their sell by date. Ritchie will be back in the lineup with a spot that he just about can't lose next season. Frederic (or any young player) is going to have to be beyond lights out to force Ritchie to the press box or Providence.

That may happen. It shouldn't.

Get rid of this guy. He's terrible, and another testament to the fact that while Sweeney and Neely do well signing undrafted players, developing talent, and selecting a strong coaching staff, they are awful at trades, free agent signings, and assessing NHL talent relative to trades.

Ritchie is a joke. For perhaps the third time, I'll reference Kirk Luedeke. If Anaheim let a 24 year old former tenth overall draft selection go in a deal for Danton Heinen, they made their assessment of his virtues and found him wanting.

That is what the Bruins should do. And the same for chronically inconsistant Jake DeBrusk, and solid but underwhelming Bjork. Kase, too. These guys are flotsum. The Bruins need more. Much more.

And I didn't even address the goaltending situation, or Z. Or team physicality and size.

The Bruins are unlikely to remain an elite team going forward. They should make aggressive decisions now to remake the club rather than wait until the wheels come off.

 

[bruinmann77]

They need guys who can score for this team and maybe add a rugged D Man

 

[bb74]

Sweeney is a good guy and doing what he feels is best for the org on the front and back office side. That said, isn't it funny that he has largely built up a team that reflects how he was as a player - undersized, average skilled, smart and gutsy to fight over his weight class? Really good vanilla, but still vanilla. Those are the guys he appears to be very good at assessing the developing.

We don't need to go Neanderthal but he does need to address overall team grit and size. Both in the pro staff and the drafting.

One legit top 6 player drafted since 2014 (Pasta.) Only one other in Debrusk that has show able to hold a job as a middle 6. Studnicka on the way but still needs to grow a lot to get into that top 6 slot and stay there. Even so, 3 in 5 years is not acceptable.

If it weren't for '15 with Carlo and Lauzon, he'd only have McAvoy to show on the ice. That's not cutting it either.

He has done a good job on the bottom tier filler signings and made a homerun with Krug, but that is barely offsetting the poor scouting record and mixed UFA signings. Time to clarify the organisational strategy on style of play and build a more balanced roster that doesn't live and die on the PP like the Habs of old...

 

[KillerMillerTime]

Maroon only cost TBL 900k for a one year deal too

Can't imagine Boston bringing Maroon in to the locker room after 2019.

Should have gone after Wood for a reasonable price say
2nd round pick. Big, fast hits and competes and isn't
a stiff.

 

[Blowfish]

Hall and Orr have been waiting for this moment since 2010. IMO he's going to be a bruin and folk will love the contract deal. I wouldn't be shocked it's already settled.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

Hall and Orr have been waiting for this moment since 2010. IMO he's going to be a bruin and folk will love the contract deal. I wouldn't be shocked it's already settled.

If this is true and its a favorable contract( $7.75)
then Sweeney needs to send a 3rd round pick
right now for his rights and sign him today.
But I think this guy wants money/team.

 

[rocketdan9]

Hall and Orr have been waiting for this moment since 2010. IMO he's going to be a bruin and folk will love the contract deal. I wouldn't be shocked it's already settled.

Dont forget in 2018 Hall switched agent to Darren Ferris (who used to work for Orr managenement). Ferris is also the guy who played hardball with Leafs management and dragged contract talks for Marner

 

[Yeti34]

Was John Moore hurt? Wondering why Cassidy didn’t swap him in for one of the smurfs especially after being down 3-1. I don’t think Moore is bad by any stretch but if your not going to play him that was another whiff by Sweeney.