Management How would you rate Sweeney?

[b in vancouver]

I'm eating crow as I wasn't thrilled at the time.
He's been one of the best GMs in the league since he took over. The proof is in the pudding. The Bruins are probably the best run franchise in the NHL.

 

[The don godfather]

Everyone here knows I've stuck with this guy from the beginning. So I rate him A plus. Hes done a a fantastic job compared to other general managers around the league. Excellent contract negotiator. Decent in trades and finds good nhl players at drafts. Hes all round.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Not like we haven't seen this movie before from the Sweeney teams. Winning in the regular season, then falling short when the going gets tough in the playoffs has become their M.O.

Wake me when this group gets it done when it counts

 

[the negotiator]

The true test is whether or not Sweeney would get another GM position if the Bs left him go

My guess- the nay-sayers heads would spin at how quickly and how any offers he would get.

Has he been perfect- not at all. Has he keep the Bs winning while transitioning the team from the 2011 model which had grown older and slower to a new quicker model better suited to compete in the current NHL- absolutely.

 

[PlayMakers]

The true test is whether or not Sweeney would get another GM position if the Bs left him go

My guess- the nay-sayers heads would spin at how quickly and how any offers he would get.

Has he been perfect- not at all. Has he keep the Bs winning while transitioning the team from the 2011 model which had grown older and slower to a new quicker model better suited to compete in the current NHL- absolutely.

Is that really the "true test?" Chiarelli was hired after giving away Tyler Seguin and leaving this team in a cap mess. This league likes to recycle the old guard. Look at how many GM's/coaches crash and burn only to be rehired right away.

I agree that he's done some things very well. I think his slow rebuild formula has been effective for the most part. He takes a lot of heat for his drafting but I think he's going to be proven ahead of the curve when it comes to focusing on the USHL and USNTDP in particular. The guys coming along are better than people think and are going to quietly continue to transform this team into Sweeney's vision. He is a hard salary negotiator and his cap management has also been very good.

All that said, I also think inheriting a core that included 6 future Hall of Famers certainly helped him "remain competitive" while restructuring. He's been hit or miss in free agency. His biggest failing so far has, IMO, been his inability to make hockey trades that appreciably improve the team. Six years without a competent 2nd line RW is almost unimaginable, especially during a Cup window. I think that is the biggest reason he draws people's ire.

I think this edition of the Bruins is going to need a hockey trade to get over the hump. JDB for a RW or maybe one of the young LD for a more proven top4 LD... lots of hockey left to figure that out, but once again this team seems a little imbalanced.

 

[PB37]

Is that really the "true test?" Chiarelli was hired after giving away Tyler Seguin and leaving this team in a cap mess. This league likes to recycle the old guard. Look at how many GM's/coaches crash and burn only to be rehired right away.

I agree that he's done some things very well. I think his slow rebuild formula has been effective for the most part. He takes a lot of heat for his drafting but I think he's going to be proven ahead of the curve when it comes to focusing on the USHL and USNTDP in particular. The guys coming along are better than people think and are going to quietly continue to transform this team into Sweeney's vision. He is a hard salary negotiator and his cap management has also been very good.

All that said, I also think inheriting a core that included 6 future Hall of Famers certainly helped him "remain competitive" while restructuring. He's been hit or miss in free agency. His biggest failing so far has, IMO, been his inability to make hockey trades that appreciably improve the team. Six years without a competent 2nd line RW is almost unimaginable, especially during a Cup window. I think that is the biggest reason he draws people's ire.

I think this edition of the Bruins is going to need a hockey trade to get over the hump. JDB for a RW or maybe one of the young LD for a more proven top4 LD... lots of hockey left to figure that out, but once again this team seems a little imbalanced.

Do you judge Sweeney as a GM or as a piece of the management team? IMO, it's hard to separate the two because of how long Sweeney has been with the franchise and how key he was before he even became the GM. He was instrumental in the development team and the process they use pretty much since that was his first job with the team way back in 2006 as the Director of Player Development. He conceived and coordinated the first ever Player Development Cap which is now the NHL standard for teams and their prospects. Sweeney was very active in scouting prospects himself during this time ( I think he sticks to just locally now unless traveling with the team ). When he was the Assistant GM, he still was very hands on with the kids, as he oversaw the development of the team's drafted prospects at all levels and was the oversaw all hockey operations matter for the Providence Bruins. He's made some excellent personnel hires in the franchise that have reinforced the Bruins Way in drafting and developing prospects.

While not perfect, I think Sweeney has put this franchise in a good position to compete now and for the future, again.

 

[mikelvl]

Sweeney = pretty, pretty, pretty good

 

[PlayMakers]

Do you judge Sweeney as a GM or as a piece of the management team? IMO, it's hard to separate the two because of how long Sweeney has been with the franchise and how key he was before he even became the GM. He was instrumental in the development team and the process they use pretty much since that was his first job with the team way back in 2006 as the Director of Player Development. He conceived and coordinated the first ever Player Development Cap which is now the NHL standard for teams and their prospects. Sweeney was very active in scouting prospects himself during this time ( I think he sticks to just locally now unless traveling with the team ). When he was the Assistant GM, he still was very hands on with the kids, as he oversaw the development of the team's drafted prospects at all levels and was the oversaw all hockey operations matter for the Providence Bruins. He's made some excellent personnel hires in the franchise that have reinforced the Bruins Way in drafting and developing prospects.

While not perfect, I think Sweeney has put this franchise in a good position to compete now and for the future, again.

I think I judge him as a GM. I agree he was very good at those other jobs and I praised him when he held those posts. But I judge his work as a GM as a standalone thing. I also don't like to pass blame to Neely or pro scouting or whetever. I think if you're the GM then you should be judged as such.

Fwiw, I think I praise the good things he's done as GM too. I think he's done more good than bad, but IMO it's not all good. I think he needs to be better at acquiring NHL players. Someone put up a history of his deals and I think he traded away more than one entire draft and almost everyone he acquired is out of the league. Coyle stands as a bright spot. I'd really like to see him make another good move like that this season. No matter what their record says, I don't think they can win a Cup without a 2nd line RW.

 

[Riverfront]

only flaw. Seems to value american born players and home grown talent too much. Even in his drafting cycle.
Does he do enough scouting outside the USA ? look at the roster from time he took over to now.

 

[MattFromFranklin]

Do you judge Sweeney as a GM or as a piece of the management team? IMO, it's hard to separate the two because of how long Sweeney has been with the franchise and how key he was before he even became the GM. He was instrumental in the development team and the process they use pretty much since that was his first job with the team way back in 2006 as the Director of Player Development. He conceived and coordinated the first ever Player Development Cap which is now the NHL standard for teams and their prospects. Sweeney was very active in scouting prospects himself during this time ( I think he sticks to just locally now unless traveling with the team ). When he was the Assistant GM, he still was very hands on with the kids, as he oversaw the development of the team's drafted prospects at all levels and was the oversaw all hockey operations matter for the Providence Bruins. He's made some excellent personnel hires in the franchise that have reinforced the Bruins Way in drafting and developing prospects.

While not perfect, I think Sweeney has put this franchise in a good position to compete now and for the future, again.

I disagree. Over the next 2-3 years, I think there's a pretty good chance we end up like Detroit the last few years of Zetterberg and Datsyuk where we either squeak into the playoffs and lose in round 1 or barely miss the playoffs. In large part, this will be due to the failure on behalf of Sweeney and Neely to round out the top 6 with legitimate top 6 forwards as opposed to tweeners (Coyle, DeBrusk, etc.) who are better suited for the 3rd line. As another poster mentioned, we're going on a 6th straight year of an incomplete 2nd line. That's unacceptable, and the frustrating thing is Sweeney and Neely have had plenty of chances to improve that to help the team long-term. Whether it be poor free agent signings (Beleskey, Backes), a poor trade (Hayes), or the draft (notably Barzal and Connor in 2015). Not to mention, failing to get legit top 6 guys who signed this offseason for shorter term/money than many people thought they would. I really liked the Smith signing, as he has been a guy I've liked for many years, but I'm not certain that he's not a tweener. I'd love to be wrong and I love his play so far, though. Unless he can swing at least 1 key trade to a player that has term or will re-up, I fear we'll be mediocre in 2-3 years when Bergeron and Marchand continue to get older. Sweeney's future will likely come down to the re-tooling job he does over the next 2-3 years. If he can swing a trade for a guy like Palmieri and re-sign him, and/or use Krejci's money on a younger top 6 forward, our competitive window will be extended. Failure to do so will not only result in us having to go through a re-build, but it could also lead to Pasta wanting out and to go to a better situation. If anything, that should be Sweeney's motivation, apart from keeping his job. Improving the team in order to keep Pasta. If he does nothing and Pasta leaves via FA or asks for a trade, we're going to have to rebuild. I don't see Sweeney and Neely surviving a rebuild.

I don't have a whole lot of faith in Sweeney and Neely to properly execute a re-tool, as we saw them largely whiff during the 2015 re-tool with the 1st round draft picks, Hamilton return, Beleskey signing, Hayes trade, and squandering an asset on a stiff in Zac Rinaldo. Not to mention, squandering draft picks at the trade deadline in 2016 when the team was nowhere near a serious cup contender and not shipping Eriksson for a 1st round pick. If they fail to improve the club and we have to go through a rebuild, that would be an even tougher task, and confidence in Sweeney and Neely would be even lower.

 

[whatsbruin]

Needs to stay away from concussion prone and injury prone players in trades. R. Nash and O. Kase are two that they should never have traded for. Put a lot of eggs in a fragile basket, and they were cracked. Now he's looking for another 2nd line winger.

 

[LouJersey]

Fantastic GM, one of the best in the league...top 5 easy

 

[SpitfireIX]

1. FA Signings D:

Negative Backes, Beleskey, Moore. Big wasted money, think of what could be done with that money, basically a star player or two high-impact players. We could have brought back Krug with relative ease.

Positive Role and Depth Players: Wagner and Nordstrom were top quality inexpensive 4th liners. So far his best FA signing has been Craig Smith based on what I am seeing thus far.

2. Drafting C:

Positive McCavoy, Carlo, DeBrusk. McCavoy has Norris potential, DeBrusk flirts with being a 30 goal scorer and Carlo is a top-four shut-down defenseman.

Negative Synyshyn, JFK, Frederic (drafted too high for what his projection is). Chabot played on Zboril's team and somehow we took JZ instead of him and then we took Synyshyn in place of... Barzal, Konecny, Conner, Boeser, Beauvillier, Mitchell Stephens, Vince Dunn, Rasmus Anderson, Travis Dermott and Jordan Greenway. We even passed on some of these players in the 2nd round to take JFK.

Frederic was projected as a 3rd or 4th liner which is what he looks like. We passed on Jordan Kyrou, Alex DeBrincat, Samuel Girard, Carter Hart, Raddysh, Dillon Dube and Sam Steel to take Frederic... There were better players available and analysts were surprised at the Bruins pick when they made it. The analysts have been right.

Way too many misses.

3. Trades D+

Negative Jimmy Hayes for Reilly Smith: Smith was a bargain at the deal he signed and has been a consistent player for the Panthers and LVK ever since leaving Boston. Has only had two bad seasons since his first season in Boston and has 55 pts in 65 playoff games. Hayes doesn't play hockey anymore.

Dougie Hamilton is one of the premier defenseman in the league and has lead the backline for some competitive Carolina teams. His lowest point total since leaving Boston was a single 39 point season. Had his best offensive season last year with 40 pts in 47 games. Rumors aside the Bruins had control of his contract and traded him for Synyshyn (waivers), JFK (left team) and Lauzon (2nd round pick with some potential). Huge fail for the Bruins anyway you slice it.

Milan Lucic trade is also an example of wasted value. The return wasn't bad but the major peice, Jakob Zboril has not panned out, Trent Frederic has a bottom 6 forward potential and Colin Miller left via the expansion draft. Kuraly was a good pickup in the Jones trade. So at this point we have Sean Kuraly and two bottom of the lineup prospects in return for Milan Lucic who, based on value at the time, should have returned more. B's drafting contributes to this being bad as well. For example if we drafted Barzal or Chabot instead of Zboril this would look like a tremendous deal.

Positive

Charlie Coyle trade was tremendous. Complete win.

Rick Nash deal was a good deal at the time. He fit well in the lineup and was a good deadline gamble.

David Backes trade was another solid move to clear a bad deal and get a serviceable player in Kase. Kase has had issues lately but if not for these health issues he seemed like a good fit and serviceable top 9 forward.

4. RFA/Internal UFA Signings A

Positive Marchand, Pastrnak, McCavoy, Carlo, DeBrusk, Gryz are all great dollar value signings and are the main reason this team remains competitive. This one aspect of Sweeney's job, resigning players at below market price, has kept the Bruins a contender. Rask, Bergy and Krejci are also good dollar value contracts he inherited.

Negative Very few negatives here. Chara could have been brought back for 750 000 and Nordstrom was also a good fit on the 4th line. Krug couldn't fit within the B's cap structure at what he was asking for.


Overall C-:

Needs to move away from New England/NCAA New England region players in trades and drafts. Despite the Coyle trade being a strong one the Reilly Smith trade was more significant. The rumors of a Carlo for Hanafin (an inferior defenseman to Carlo) also scare me. Sweeney needs to improve his ability to procure players from the CHL and Canada where the best players in the world derive from. When he does draft Canadian born or developed players they tend to be the wrong ones see Zboril (QMJHL) and Synyshyn (OHL). Canada produces the most NHL players percentage wise in the NHL it makes sense that this percentage be reflected in who a team drafts every year. There is a very solid chance that no player from our 2020 draft makes it to the NHL or plays any significant role based on outside scouting analysis. Meanwhile a player, from the OHL Jack Studnika, has risen ahead of older prospects within the system. Bergeron, Marchand, Krejci, Chara, Coyle (QMJHL) and the majority of impactful players from the Bruins over the last few decades come from the CHL, get back to drafting well from the CHL and procuring talented former CHL players in trade!!!

 

[Dicky113]

He outsmarts himself at the draft table and has a habit of bad UFA signings and trades. But he has a good core and has managed to find some nice depth later in drafts.

he’s a c- GM.

 

[SpitfireIX]

He outsmarts himself at the draft table and has a habit of bad UFA signings and trades. But he has a good core and has managed to find some nice depth later in drafts.

he’s a c- GM.

You managed to say what took me several paragraphs in two sentences lol.

 

[Dicky113]

You managed to say what took me several paragraphs in two sentences lol.

Yours is the detailed analysis, mines the executive summary!

 

[The don godfather]

Donny is A plus ! Lets go !!

 

[HustleB]

I have to think the results make him at least a B. I'd probably go higher. No deep analysis from me. I'd love to think he's top 5.

 

[PB37]

1. FA Signings D:

Negative Backes, Beleskey, Moore. Big wasted money, think of what could be done with that money, basically a star player or two high-impact players. We could have brought back Krug with relative ease.

Positive Role and Depth Players: Wagner and Nordstrom were top quality inexpensive 4th liners. So far his best FA signing has been Craig Smith based on what I am seeing thus far.

2. Drafting C:

Positive McCavoy, Carlo, DeBrusk. McCavoy has Norris potential, DeBrusk flirts with being a 30 goal scorer and Carlo is a top-four shut-down defenseman.

Negative Synyshyn, JFK, Frederic (drafted too high for what his projection is). Chabot played on Zboril's team and somehow we took JZ instead of him and then we took Synyshyn in place of... Barzal, Konecny, Conner, Boeser, Beauvillier, Mitchell Stephens, Vince Dunn, Rasmus Anderson, Travis Dermott and Jordan Greenway. We even passed on some of these players in the 2nd round to take JFK.

Frederic was projected as a 3rd or 4th liner which is what he looks like. We passed on Jordan Kyrou, Alex DeBrincat, Samuel Girard, Carter Hart, Raddysh, Dillon Dube and Sam Steel to take Frederic... There were better players available and analysts were surprised at the Bruins pick when they made it. The analysts have been right.

Way too many misses.

3. Trades D+

Negative Jimmy Hayes for Reilly Smith: Smith was a bargain at the deal he signed and has been a consistent player for the Panthers and LVK ever since leaving Boston. Has only had two bad seasons since his first season in Boston and has 55 pts in 65 playoff games. Hayes doesn't play hockey anymore.

Dougie Hamilton is one of the premier defenseman in the league and has lead the backline for some competitive Carolina teams. His lowest point total since leaving Boston was a single 39 point season. Had his best offensive season last year with 40 pts in 47 games. Rumors aside the Bruins had control of his contract and traded him for Synyshyn (waivers), JFK (left team) and Lauzon (2nd round pick with some potential). Huge fail for the Bruins anyway you slice it.

Milan Lucic trade is also an example of wasted value. The return wasn't bad but the major peice, Jakob Zboril has not panned out, Trent Frederic has a bottom 6 forward potential and Colin Miller left via the expansion draft. Kuraly was a good pickup in the Jones trade. So at this point we have Sean Kuraly and two bottom of the lineup prospects in return for Milan Lucic who, based on value at the time, should have returned more. B's drafting contributes to this being bad as well. For example if we drafted Barzal or Chabot instead of Zboril this would look like a tremendous deal.

Positive

Charlie Coyle trade was tremendous. Complete win.

Rick Nash deal was a good deal at the time. He fit well in the lineup and was a good deadline gamble.

David Backes trade was another solid move to clear a bad deal and get a serviceable player in Kase. Kase has had issues lately but if not for these health issues he seemed like a good fit and serviceable top 9 forward.

4. RFA/Internal UFA Signings A

Positive Marchand, Pastrnak, McCavoy, Carlo, DeBrusk, Gryz are all great dollar value signings and are the main reason this team remains competitive. This one aspect of Sweeney's job, resigning players at below market price, has kept the Bruins a contender. Rask, Bergy and Krejci are also good dollar value contracts he inherited.

Negative Very few negatives here. Chara could have been brought back for 750 000 and Nordstrom was also a good fit on the 4th line. Krug couldn't fit within the B's cap structure at what he was asking for.


Overall C-:

Needs to move away from New England/NCAA New England region players in trades and drafts. Despite the Coyle trade being a strong one the Reilly Smith trade was more significant. The rumors of a Carlo for Hanafin (an inferior defenseman to Carlo) also scare me. Sweeney needs to improve his ability to procure players from the CHL and Canada where the best players in the world derive from. When he does draft Canadian born or developed players they tend to be the wrong ones see Zboril (QMJHL) and Synyshyn (OHL). Canada produces the most NHL players percentage wise in the NHL it makes sense that this percentage be reflected in who a team drafts every year. There is a very solid chance that no player from our 2020 draft makes it to the NHL or plays any significant role based on outside scouting analysis. Meanwhile a player, from the OHL Jack Studnika, has risen ahead of older prospects within the system. Bergeron, Marchand, Krejci, Chara, Coyle (QMJHL) and the majority of impactful players from the Bruins over the last few decades come from the CHL, get back to drafting well from the CHL and procuring talented former CHL players in trade!!!

Halak should also be mentioned in the FA category wins, as well as the Heinen for Ritchie trade could bode well for the Bruins this year.

 

[MattFromFranklin]

1. FA Signings D:

Negative Backes, Beleskey, Moore. Big wasted money, think of what could be done with that money, basically a star player or two high-impact players. We could have brought back Krug with relative ease.

Positive Role and Depth Players: Wagner and Nordstrom were top quality inexpensive 4th liners. So far his best FA signing has been Craig Smith based on what I am seeing thus far.

2. Drafting C:

Positive McCavoy, Carlo, DeBrusk. McCavoy has Norris potential, DeBrusk flirts with being a 30 goal scorer and Carlo is a top-four shut-down defenseman.

Negative Synyshyn, JFK, Frederic (drafted too high for what his projection is). Chabot played on Zboril's team and somehow we took JZ instead of him and then we took Synyshyn in place of... Barzal, Konecny, Conner, Boeser, Beauvillier, Mitchell Stephens, Vince Dunn, Rasmus Anderson, Travis Dermott and Jordan Greenway. We even passed on some of these players in the 2nd round to take JFK.

Frederic was projected as a 3rd or 4th liner which is what he looks like. We passed on Jordan Kyrou, Alex DeBrincat, Samuel Girard, Carter Hart, Raddysh, Dillon Dube and Sam Steel to take Frederic... There were better players available and analysts were surprised at the Bruins pick when they made it. The analysts have been right.

Way too many misses.

3. Trades D+

Negative Jimmy Hayes for Reilly Smith: Smith was a bargain at the deal he signed and has been a consistent player for the Panthers and LVK ever since leaving Boston. Has only had two bad seasons since his first season in Boston and has 55 pts in 65 playoff games. Hayes doesn't play hockey anymore.

Dougie Hamilton is one of the premier defenseman in the league and has lead the backline for some competitive Carolina teams. His lowest point total since leaving Boston was a single 39 point season. Had his best offensive season last year with 40 pts in 47 games. Rumors aside the Bruins had control of his contract and traded him for Synyshyn (waivers), JFK (left team) and Lauzon (2nd round pick with some potential). Huge fail for the Bruins anyway you slice it.

Milan Lucic trade is also an example of wasted value. The return wasn't bad but the major peice, Jakob Zboril has not panned out, Trent Frederic has a bottom 6 forward potential and Colin Miller left via the expansion draft. Kuraly was a good pickup in the Jones trade. So at this point we have Sean Kuraly and two bottom of the lineup prospects in return for Milan Lucic who, based on value at the time, should have returned more. B's drafting contributes to this being bad as well. For example if we drafted Barzal or Chabot instead of Zboril this would look like a tremendous deal.

Positive

Charlie Coyle trade was tremendous. Complete win.

Rick Nash deal was a good deal at the time. He fit well in the lineup and was a good deadline gamble.

David Backes trade was another solid move to clear a bad deal and get a serviceable player in Kase. Kase has had issues lately but if not for these health issues he seemed like a good fit and serviceable top 9 forward.

4. RFA/Internal UFA Signings A

Positive Marchand, Pastrnak, McCavoy, Carlo, DeBrusk, Gryz are all great dollar value signings and are the main reason this team remains competitive. This one aspect of Sweeney's job, resigning players at below market price, has kept the Bruins a contender. Rask, Bergy and Krejci are also good dollar value contracts he inherited.

Negative Very few negatives here. Chara could have been brought back for 750 000 and Nordstrom was also a good fit on the 4th line. Krug couldn't fit within the B's cap structure at what he was asking for.


Overall C-:

Needs to move away from New England/NCAA New England region players in trades and drafts. Despite the Coyle trade being a strong one the Reilly Smith trade was more significant. The rumors of a Carlo for Hanafin (an inferior defenseman to Carlo) also scare me. Sweeney needs to improve his ability to procure players from the CHL and Canada where the best players in the world derive from. When he does draft Canadian born or developed players they tend to be the wrong ones see Zboril (QMJHL) and Synyshyn (OHL). Canada produces the most NHL players percentage wise in the NHL it makes sense that this percentage be reflected in who a team drafts every year. There is a very solid chance that no player from our 2020 draft makes it to the NHL or plays any significant role based on outside scouting analysis. Meanwhile a player, from the OHL Jack Studnika, has risen ahead of older prospects within the system. Bergeron, Marchand, Krejci, Chara, Coyle (QMJHL) and the majority of impactful players from the Bruins over the last few decades come from the CHL, get back to drafting well from the CHL and procuring talented former CHL players in trade!!!

C- is a fair grade. His first few months on the job are more than worthy of dismissal, and not just for his stupidity at the draft table which screwed us out of having a longer window. Sweeney completely botched the Hamilton trade. According to James Mirtle (blue check mark) of the Athletic, Sweeney turned down higher 1sts than 15th overall. Elliotte Friedman wrote that Colorado was one of those teams and that things were "close." Colorado ended up keeping the pick and taking Mikko Rantanen, so Sweeney's stupidity cost us Rantanen, Barzal, and Connor. I'm sure Carolina also would have done a trade for Hamilton involving the 5th pick, as opposed to the "near deal" of the 13/14/15 picks for the 5th pick. In "Behind The B," Sweeney was foolishly obsessing over getting 2nd round picks for Hamilton, and Colorado likely didn't want to part with their 2 2nd round picks.



I'm also not convinced that they HAD to trade Hamilton. Sweeney flat out said in his press conference before the draft that Hamilton never asked to be traded. Hamilton and his agent were likely being stubborn with their contract demands and hoping for some more money. It was reported that they asked for 7.5M per year as opposed to the 5.5M per that Sweeney offered. If Sweeney met in the middle at 6.5M, I'm sure Hamilton would've signed it. That contract would've been worth it, given Hamilton's young age and point production, on top of his potential. If the cap was such an issue, why not trade Loui Eriksson, who had no future with the team beyond the next season, in order to create more space? Jim Benning likely would've offered his 1st round pick (23rd overall) for Eriksson, who he ended up signing to an asinine contract the following summer. Or how about not giving Adam McQuaid nearly $3M per year when you already had a cheaper version of him on the roster in Kevan Miller?


Anyone with half of a brain could tell that the Beleskey contract would be a disaster and our version of the Ville Leino and David Clarkson contracts. He had one good year, in a contract year no less, in which he was playing with Getzlaf and Perry and his shooting percentage increased. I can't even skate, but I could score 15 goals blindfolded if I were playing with Perry and Getzlaf when they were in their primes. Although Smith had an average 2nd year, the Hayes trade was bad from the start. Florida was trying to get rid of him, and many of their posters said that he wasn't very good. On top of that, Sweeney gave him a 3-year deal. Kyle Palmieri was available via trade that offseason, and he only went for (non 1st round) draft picks. Sweeney also wasted a 3rd round pick on Zac Rinaldo, a stiff who did absolutely nothing. If he wanted to bring in someone to help with the attitude of the team, why not bring up some grinder or goon from Providence? At the very least, you'd be giving a guy one season worth of life-long memories before he would go on to bagging groceries the next summer. It also would've allowed us to keep a draft pick, which could've been used in another area to help the team.

 

[PB37]

I think I judge him as a GM. I agree he was very good at those other jobs and I praised him when he held those posts. But I judge his work as a GM as a standalone thing. I also don't like to pass blame to Neely or pro scouting or whetever. I think if you're the GM then you should be judged as such.

Fwiw, I think I praise the good things he's done as GM too. I think he's done more good than bad, but IMO it's not all good. I think he needs to be better at acquiring NHL players. Someone put up a history of his deals and I think he traded away more than one entire draft and almost everyone he acquired is out of the league. Coyle stands as a bright spot. I'd really like to see him make another good move like that this season. No matter what their record says, I don't think they can win a Cup without a 2nd line RW.

For me, it's tough to separate Sweeney the prospect guy/assistant GM/GM because of how he was brought through the system of Bruins management. He has his fingerprints all over the Bruins franchise. It's different from say, Chiarelli, who was an outsider that was brought in without any sort of prior work done within the team, so he could just be judged on that alone.

 

[PB37]

Sweeney named Team Canada AGM for the 2022 Olympics.

 

[Gee Wally]

Bump for those who need a release.

and need to learn to stop hijacking other threads.
A post here or there is one thing. But pages of off topic rants is no bueno.

 

[MattFromFranklin]

I still think he'll get us an upgrade at forward before the deadline. A legitimate top 6 guy as opposed to someone who is more suited for the 3rd line.

 

[22Brad Park]

Find out how good he is when Bergeron steps away .The hole is coming.Jesus Bruins lost Krecji and you can see problems.Sweeney can do contracts but he struggles to make impact trades.I liked the Coyle move though which was more recent.Bruins need him to get it right at deadline.Standpat its tough sledding.