Management Don Sweeney

[Babajingo]

I wanted him gone, years ago. He inherited a great lineup. And other than Swayman and maybe Carlo, hasn't done much in drafting/development. Jury is still out on the younger ones and McAvoy was a layup.
That being said, he is severely handicapped by the owner. They won't accept a rebuild or retool or any kind of "suck for a few years to replenish". That limits a GM on how to manage the farm and drafting. If that is the goal, then he has done a good job.
My biggest fear is that the Bruins are doomed to be One and Dones in the POs for the next decade. Meanwhile, teams like Pitt, Wash, ... will be rebuilding and eventually have a chance at the cup again.
Hey, but Mr Burns will get his gate.

 

[Guelph Bruin]

He pulled Poitras out of the late second round. Pelosi out of the fourth. Frederic at the bottom of the first. Beecher at the bottom of the first. Plus Merkulov as UDFA. Pretty good job of getting centers at his draft slot.

Hopefully some of them pan out as offensive threats, jury is still out on 3 of those 4 (Frederic looks like a hit). I'm still pissed at not drafting Robert Thomas for example while choosing D prospect Vaak .. I know ..hindsight is 20/20 but there were some insiders here who's job is scouting hockey and they found it puzzling.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

Hopefully some of them pan out as offensive threats, jury is still out on 3 of those 4 (Frederic looks like a hit). I'm still pissed at not drafting Robert Thomas for example while choosing D prospect Vaak .. I know ..hindsight is 20/20 but there were some insiders here who's job is scouting hockey and they found it puzzling.

There are 12-15 teams who wished they drafted Thomas before 20. It happens. You’re not getting a 1C where we draft for the most part without some real luck.

 

[Guelph Bruin]

There are 12-15 teams who wished they drafted Thomas before 20. It happens. You’re not getting a 1C where we draft for the most part without some real luck.

I agree but he went for a gamble D instead of a gamble C ...his timing of drafting gamble C's is way off for transition period post DK and PB (which he knew was coming years ago) ...should have started around 2017

 

[NDiesel]

I agree but he went for a gamble D instead of a gamble C ...his timing of drafting gamble C's is way off for transition period post DK and PB (which he knew was coming years ago) ...should have started around 2017

I think people forget that Spooner was starting to breakout around that time and was trending towards being our next top 6C, obviously he didnt work out and they still did draft Frederic in 2016 followed by Studnicka the next year.

 

[MattFromFranklin]

There are 12-15 teams who wished they drafted Thomas before 20. It happens. You’re not getting a 1C where we draft for the most part without some real luck.

I agree. Plus, 2017 wasn't viewed as a good draft at the time. The better argument would be in 2015, which was viewed as the deepest draft since 2003. He had a stud winger and 1C fall into his lap and he and his scouts were sniffing glue and believed that Zach Senyshyn and Jake DeBrusk were superior players to Kyle Connor and Mathew Barzal. The problem I had with the Vaak pick was that he had no offensive upside. You don't take middle-bottom pairing D with no offense in the 1st round. In weak drafts, like 2017, it's okay to gamble on someone who has high upside, even if they might be a reach. Someone like Josh Norris would've fit the bill. He was a late bloomer and sure he would've been a reach at the time, but he had a lot of upside.

 

[bruinsfan1968]

I wanted him gone, years ago. He inherited a great lineup. And other than Swayman and maybe Carlo, hasn't done much in drafting/development. Jury is still out on the younger ones and McAvoy was a layup.
That being said, he is severely handicapped by the owner. They won't accept a rebuild or retool or any kind of "suck for a few years to replenish". That limits a GM on how to manage the farm and drafting. If that is the goal, then he has done a good job.
My biggest fear is that the Bruins are doomed to be One and Dones in the POs for the next decade. Meanwhile, teams like Pitt, Wash, ... will be rebuilding and eventually have a chance at the cup again.
Hey, but Mr Burns will get his gate.

Inherited a great lineup? Lol
Sweeney has been with the team since 2006 or so, and was Assistant GM the year before he took over as the GM. He helped build that great lineup as you call it!

 

[Roll 4 Lines]

Hopefully some of them pan out as offensive threats, jury is still out on 3 of those 4 (Frederic looks like a hit). I'm still pissed at not drafting Robert Thomas for example while choosing D prospect Vaak .. I know ..hindsight is 20/20 but there were some insiders here who's job is scouting hockey and they found it puzzling.

Perhaps Sweeney can trade for him. Think Matchbox 20 is listening to offers?

 

[Babajingo]

Inherited a great lineup? Lol
Sweeney has been with the team since 2006 or so, and was Assistant GM the year before he took over as the GM. He helped build that great lineup as you call it!

Respectfully, I believe there is a big difference between any role other than GM and GM. GM makes most of the decisions. Yes he contributed to development/scouting prior to being the GM, but Chiarelli made the decisions.
So in 2015, he inherited the team. Starting then, he had the final decisions. Didn't start off well. In fact, if people use the argument of him being Asst GM years prior, than that makes 2015 worse. Most of his supporters say its because it was his first year and he didn't have time to evaluate prior to the draft.

Whatever, I still stand by the fact that he would probably be a better GM with different owners. Also, thought he did a great job last year. Team let him down.

 

[Guelph Bruin]

Perhaps Sweeney can trade for him. Think Matchbox 20 is listening to offers?

They're playing at Boots and Hearts this year (Canada's biggest outdoor music festival)..went last year but that Robert Thomas has less draw than the St. Louis Blues version...although I know a woman who dated the Matchbox 20 version back in their hay day

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

Respectfully, I believe there is a big difference between any role other than GM and GM. GM makes most of the decisions. Yes he contributed to development/scouting prior to being the GM, but Chiarelli made the decisions.
So in 2015, he inherited the team. Starting then, he had the final decisions. Didn't start off well. In fact, if people use the argument of him being Asst GM years prior, than that makes 2015 worse. Most of his supporters say its because it was his first year and he didn't have time to evaluate prior to the draft.

Whatever, I still stand by the fact that he would probably be a better GM with different owners. Also, thought he did a great job last year. Team let him down.

So, you have a FO of 10+ people just so 1 guy can make "most of the decisions"?

I do agree that he is the final word on all of the opinions and decisions that get made. But it's hardly just one guy's vision and one guy executing it.

That's how us simpleton fans often choose to interpret it, but that isn't what is really going on.

 

[SwayHeyKid]

Could see Neely move further upstairs and Don taking over as President with Gold or Langenbrunner taking over. It's amazing one of these poverty franchises haven't stolen Jamie yet. They are missing the boat.

 

[WickedWitch74]

This is when Donnie does his best work...

 

[EverettMike]

I've seen way too many NHL playoff games to give the Bruins anything worse than a 50/50 shot in the first round no matter who they play/how bad they look going into the playoffs, but I do wonder what a first round exit would mean for how ownership thinks of Sweeney and what kind of pressure he'd be feeling going into next season.

 

[TCB]

I've seen way too many NHL playoff games to give the Bruins anything worse than a 50/50 shot in the first round no matter who they play/how bad they look going into the playoffs, but I do wonder what a first round exit would mean for how ownership thinks of Sweeney and what kind of pressure he'd be feeling going into next season.

I'd say more than a little. Only once in his tenure have they won more than one playoff round and that was the year they went to the finals and he has one DNQ year out of 10.

 

[BlackFrancis]

I'd say more than a little. Only once in his tenure have they won more than one playoff round and that was the year they went to the finals and he has two years of DNQ out of 10.

Only one DNQ, right? You can't/shouldn't count him as having the job for the 2015 season, as he was hired 2 months prior to the start of the 2016 season and the team had already been eliminated a month or two earlier.

 

[TCB]

Only one DNQ, right? You can't/shouldn't count him as having the job for the 2015 season, as he was hired 2 months prior to the start of the 2016 season and the team had already been eliminated a month or two earlier.

Thanks, Fixed it!

 

[Over the volcano]

I've seen way too many NHL playoff games to give the Bruins anything worse than a 50/50 shot in the first round no matter who they play/how bad they look going into the playoffs, but I do wonder what a first round exit would mean for how ownership thinks of Sweeney and what kind of pressure he'd be feeling going into next season.

Really one of the best things the NHL has going for it compared to other professional leagues.


As far as Sweeney goes, its hard to rip the guy. They went all in when they had a historic roster and now they're 2nd in the league in pts with a roster built largely out of spare parts and cast aways. That's some good general managing.

 

[TP70BruinsCup]

Could see Neely move further upstairs and Don taking over as President with Gold or Langenbrunner taking over. It's amazing one of these poverty franchises haven't stolen Jamie yet. They are missing the boat.

This is my thinking too. Donny moves up the chain and they have someone else in house take over. They won’t fire Cam (PR) and they won’t fire Donny, not with all the sell outs they keep having. But change the position of the titles and where they are? Yep. I 100% could see that. As long as the next GM likes some tough playoff hockey I’m all for it as Donny’s teams are too soft recently for my liking.

 

[MoffatMan]

Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney to be named Canada GM for NHL 4 Nations Face-Off | TSN

Don Sweeney is the man set to lead Canada into next year's NHL 4 Nations Face-Off. Hockey Canada named the Boston Bruins general manager the GM of the Canada entry on Friday.

www.tsn.ca

 

[DKH]

Boqvist looks like a brilliant move

When New Jersey won two lotteries so close they grabbed two centers - Nico Hischier & Jack Hughes - they also hit quickly on Dawson Hughes

Nico & Jack would squeeze out 40 + minutes and PP time

The big losers would be high picks Pavel Zacha (2016 #6) & Jesper Boqvist (2017 #36)

Boqvist was drafted as gifted Lightning fast smart center who could play wing - he was highly written up in draft guides and shows up in first round mocks (24 here)

2017 NHL Mock Draft: Hischier to Devils at No. 1? – Sportsnet.ca

Sweeney was the big winner here getting both

Zacha goes well with pasta and Boqvist ideally should be a third line here - Poitras probably gets a shot but regardless @neelynugs who is the man behind the curtain I believe knows all along this kid has skills

I do like him with JDB. They are fast and have high hockey IQ

Very glad to see him get that OT goal but was surprised to read afterwards how he is thought of as some scrub

No, he feel through the cracks - got squeezed out of opportunities by good fortune of Devils winning lotteries

Jack Hughes didn’t like him leaving for Boston and that was my first inkling we have hit here

Sweeney getting crushed by some of the resident experts of not doing anything to replace Bergy & Krejci but he’s been attacking the center spot from NHL FA signings, trades, draft, college FA in last 3 seasons

Zacha
Geekie
Metkulov
Boqvist
Locmelis
Poitras
Pelosi
Farinace
Harrison
Nelson

This is my thinking too. Donny moves up the chain and they have someone else in house take over. They won’t fire Cam (PR) and they won’t fire Donny, not with all the sell outs they keep having. But change the position of the titles and where they are? Yep. I 100% could see that. As long as the next GM likes some tough playoff hockey I’m all for it as Donny’s teams are too soft recently for my liking.

Soft ? I don’t know if you heard but Milan Lucic was signed by Donny

Unfortunately Donny isn’t as smart as folks here who knew Lucic was going to F up

His bottom 6 didn’t look to soft the way constituted

 

[TP70BruinsCup]

Boqvist looks like a brilliant move

When New Jersey won two lotteries so close they grabbed two centers - Nico Hischier & Jack Hughes - they also hit quickly on Dawson Hughes

Nico & Jack would squeeze out 40 + minutes and PP time

The big losers would be high picks Pavel Zacha (2016 #6) & Jesper Boqvist (2017 #36)

Boqvist was drafted as gifted Lightning fast smart center who could play wing - he was highly written up in draft guides and shows up in first round mocks (24 here)

2017 NHL Mock Draft: Hischier to Devils at No. 1? – Sportsnet.ca

Sweeney was the big winner here getting both

Zacha goes well with pasta and Boqvist ideally should be a third line here - Poitras probably gets a shot but regardless @neelynugs who is the man behind the curtain I believe knows all along this kid has skills

I do like him with JDB. They are fast and have high hockey IQ

Very glad to see him get that OT goal but was surprised to read afterwards how he is thought of as some scrub

No, he feel through the cracks - got squeezed out of opportunities by good fortune of Devils winning lotteries

Jack Hughes didn’t like him leaving for Boston and that was my first inkling we have hit here

Sweeney getting crushed by some of the resident experts of not doing anything to replace Bergy & Krejci but he’s been attacking the center spot from NHL FA signings, trades, draft, college FA in last 3 seasons

Zacha
Geekie
Metkulov
Boqvist
Locmelis
Poitras
Pelosi
Farinace
Harrison
Nelson


Soft ? I don’t know if you heard but Milan Lucic was signed by Donny

Unfortunately Donny isn’t as smart as folks here who knew Lucic was going to F up

His bottom 6 didn’t look to soft the way constituted

I never said he knew. Nobody did. I’ll bet Sweeney feels bad about the whole thing too. We needed more than Lucic in my opinion and still think so even with Maroon being added (next year that is…). But we shall see how it goes in the playoffs and hope as I’ve said before we see players embrace the intensity of the post season as we see every year vs the regular season.

 

[KrejciWinger]

Boqvist looks like a brilliant move

When New Jersey won two lotteries so close they grabbed two centers - Nico Hischier & Jack Hughes - they also hit quickly on Dawson Hughes

Nico & Jack would squeeze out 40 + minutes and PP time

The big losers would be high picks Pavel Zacha (2016 #6) & Jesper Boqvist (2017 #36)

Boqvist was drafted as gifted Lightning fast smart center who could play wing - he was highly written up in draft guides and shows up in first round mocks (24 here)

2017 NHL Mock Draft: Hischier to Devils at No. 1? – Sportsnet.ca

Sweeney was the big winner here getting both

Zacha goes well with pasta and Boqvist ideally should be a third line here - Poitras probably gets a shot but regardless @neelynugs who is the man behind the curtain I believe knows all along this kid has skills

I do like him with JDB. They are fast and have high hockey IQ

Very glad to see him get that OT goal but was surprised to read afterwards how he is thought of as some scrub

No, he feel through the cracks - got squeezed out of opportunities by good fortune of Devils winning lotteries

Jack Hughes didn’t like him leaving for Boston and that was my first inkling we have hit here

Sweeney getting crushed by some of the resident experts of not doing anything to replace Bergy & Krejci but he’s been attacking the center spot from NHL FA signings, trades, draft, college FA in last 3 seasons

Zacha
Geekie
Metkulov
Boqvist
Locmelis
Poitras
Pelosi
Farinace
Harrison
Nelson


Soft ? I don’t know if you heard but Milan Lucic was signed by Donny

Unfortunately Donny isn’t as smart as folks here who knew Lucic was going to F up

His bottom 6 didn’t look to soft the way constituted

Zacha 2015 #6, I remember the year because it makes the misses easier lol.

Also if New Jersey has yet another Hughes (Dawson) then the league is done for. Dawson Mercer though is a great player and I was on board early suggesting we trade Swayman for him + picks, and that was before he scored 27 goals...

 

[DKH]

Zacha 2015 #6, I remember the year because it makes the misses easier lol.

Also if New Jersey has yet another Hughes (Dawson) then the league is done for. Dawson Mercer though is a great player and I was on board early suggesting we trade Swayman for him + picks, and that was before he scored 27 goals...

New Jersey has that to many Chiefs not enough Indians feel

I’d love Mercer and a scale with him on one side and Swayman on the other with fine tuning seems like a win win

Bussi is ready and Ullmark wants to stay so boom - let’s go

 

[neelynugs]

Boqvist looks like a brilliant move

When New Jersey won two lotteries so close they grabbed two centers - Nico Hischier & Jack Hughes - they also hit quickly on Dawson Hughes

Nico & Jack would squeeze out 40 + minutes and PP time

The big losers would be high picks Pavel Zacha (2016 #6) & Jesper Boqvist (2017 #36)

Boqvist was drafted as gifted Lightning fast smart center who could play wing - he was highly written up in draft guides and shows up in first round mocks (24 here)

2017 NHL Mock Draft: Hischier to Devils at No. 1? – Sportsnet.ca

Sweeney was the big winner here getting both

Zacha goes well with pasta and Boqvist ideally should be a third line here - Poitras probably gets a shot but regardless @neelynugs who is the man behind the curtain I believe knows all along this kid has skills

I do like him with JDB. They are fast and have high hockey IQ

Very glad to see him get that OT goal but was surprised to read afterwards how he is thought of as some scrub

No, he feel through the cracks - got squeezed out of opportunities by good fortune of Devils winning lotteries

Jack Hughes didn’t like him leaving for Boston and that was my first inkling we have hit here

boqvist has always given me marcus johansson vibes. the way he skates, the way he weaves thru traffic and gains the blue line.
obviously he has a ways to go as far as the offensive chops, but that's what i've seen visually since he played for the devils.
agree that figuring out how he fits in - especially with poitras in the mix - is a curious part. he looks like a much better center
than a winger.