98.5 The Sports Hub Ty Anderson: It Turns Out Don Sweeney Is Real Good At This

[Fenway]

You're lying if you weren't downright terrified during Bruins general manager Don Sweeney's first real flurry on the job.

While you didn't know the circumstances behind his moves, this is what you witnessed over that span: The Bruins traded pending restricted free agent and Zdeno Chara heir apparent Dougie Hamilton to Calgary for three draft picks, moved top-line winger Milan Lucic to Los Angeles for a first-round pick, backup goaltender, and defensive prospect. Tuukka Rask's name even made it down to the draft floor, with the Bruins allegedly fielding calls on the goaltender. Sweeney also failed a significant trade-up on the draft floor, and was instead stuck with back-to-back-to-back first-round picks. Oh, and he also traded a third-round pick for a player with as many suspensions as goals during his 52-game run in Boston in Zac Rinaldo.

It was almost enough to make you crave the days of Peter Chiarelli and trading draft picks for draft busts and old Senators. But all of that feels like a distant memory in 2018 thanks to Sweeney's undeniable improvement across the board.

This starts with the reason why Sweeney replaced Chiarelli in the first place: Cap management.

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[Krupp]

I think I'd take the Sweenius and his drafting ability over that of Chia and his NMC's.

Even if Sweeney has missed on hits like Belesky and Rinaldo, as well as Rick Nash (Backes could be joining them if he has a bad season next year, unfortunately.), I'd say getting guys like MacAvoy, Debrusk and Heinen and Bjork had more than made up for it.

The kids coming through the pipeline will be worth it when they're ready. I just don't want to see the Sweenius make any more attempts at homerun FA based moves. At least not for the immediate moment.

 

[ODAAT]

I have appreciated he and his teams work at the draft table. I think he made a few moves that could be questioned with Rinaldo/Beleskey signings but if I`m being honest (and I hate that), I didn`t have issues with the Beleskey deal at the time and thought he played well in year one but we all know what`s happened after that.

I also didn`t have massive issues with the Backes signing, wasn`t much out there at the time if I recall correctly but this one might hurt a bit as we move forward, just not sure how Backes will be after suffering yet another concussion.

What I did like last summer was DS didn`t race to sign someone to big $$, appears like he approached with more caution, made the smaller moves like Postma and Agostino and while Rick Nash didn`t work out perfectly, I appreciated the move, showed he was all in while not sacrificing huge pieces of the future and I also didn`t mind the depth acquisitions of Gionta and Wingles so it appears DS has learned from some other signings

Might be an interesting summer, not sure if he`ll be comfortable without a first rounder. If he is, wondering what he could do to get in the game come first round draft pick

 

[bb74]

A in drafting, C in UFA signings (can't tell me he's been more than average there), B+ in trades (overall).

Overall they still need to improve their pro scouting. Backes is very much like the Lapointe signing way back - a guy the B's coveted for a long time who was paid (Lapointe well above market rate) at the going rate for a UFA. Adds a lot to the team and organization beyond the on ice production...

Hopefully next year is a good year where he can get back to being a 45-50 point 2/3 liner and stay healthy. That's fair production for a guy at his range as a UFA. If he loses another step it will be like the Scatchard signing by MOC after the lockout which would be painful to see for a guy like him....

As for Rick Nash - I can see him being a player Sweeney brings back as a 3 zone guy that has some pedigree. If I were Nash however I'd be calling on Thornton in SJ to see about a go there on his wing on a 1 year deal and build up the stats to the go for a last 3 year deal like Marleau. They were dynamite together years back and the style still fits.

 

[Estlin]

I think I'd take the Sweenius and his drafting ability over that of Chia and his NMC's.

Even if Sweeney has missed on hits like Belesky and Rinaldo, as well as Rick Nash (Backes could be joining them if he has a bad season next year, unfortunately.), I'd say getting guys like MacAvoy, Debrusk and Heinen and Bjork had more than made up for it.

The kids coming through the pipeline will be worth it when they're ready. I just don't want to see the Sweenius make any more attempts at homerun FA based moves. At least not for the immediate moment.

Signing Backes and was and always will be a bad move. Heinen and Bjork (and Pastrnak and Donato) were drafted while Chiarelli was the GM.

 

[ON3M4N]

Signing Backes and was and always will be a bad move. Heinen and Bjork (and Pastrnak and Donato) were drafted while Chiarelli was the GM.

Sure, but Sweeney still had to sign them and get them to leave college. He could have also just as easily traded them away for help now, but he identified them as guys he wanted to keep in the organization. If Sweeney had traded either guy or failed to sign them, people would blame Sweeney so why can't he get credit for getting these guys into the system?

 

[chizzler]

Signing Backes and was and always will be a bad move. Heinen and Bjork (and Pastrnak and Donato) were drafted while Chiarelli was the GM.

Sweeney was at the heart of that. He was AGM.

 

[Estlin]

Sweeney was at the heart of that. He was AGM.

So, AGM Scott Bradley has therefore been responsible for the draft selections since 2015?

 

[chizzler]

So, AGM Scott Bradley has therefore been responsible for the draft selections since 2015?

He’s there too. What’s the problem?

 

[maxbme]

So, AGM Scott Bradley has therefore been responsible for the draft selections since 2015?

No, but there are plenty of stories floating around about Sweeney's role in drafting and prospects during his AGM tenure, especially college players. A few months ago someone, I think DKH, posted a great tidbit about how hard Sweeney was gunning for Krug and the work he did to get him to sign here. Bruins hit a grand slam on college players in 2014, Donato, Heinen and Bjork is an incredible take away.

I don't know all the details, but the Bruins drafted pretty poorly during most of Chiarelli's tenure. Benning left in May before the draft, leaving Sweeney as the only AGM. Look here, there is a pretty drastic difference in drafting 2011-2013 to 2014-2016. 2011-2013 there were 18 draft picks, they have played 810 games and have 300 points (dougie has 423 games and 220 points alone), 2014-2016 there were 21 draft picks, who have played 673 games and have 368 points.

I count 3-4 guys who are surefire NHLers 2011-2013 (Hamilton, Grz, Benning, Subban) and a 4-6 likelies but not as certain (Koko, O'Gara, Fitzgerald, Cehlarik, maybe Blidh and Sherman). 2014-2016 already has 7 guys on the Bruins (McAvoy, Debrusk, Carlo, Pastrnak, Heinen, Donato, Bjork) and more than a handful of guys who are not far away from breaking through.

Its such a dramatic change that coincides with a major management shakeup, its hard to not at least partially credit Sweeney for 2014.

I'm not a massive fan of his work with pro players, but its better than I thought on review. Never liked the Backes/beleskey/rinaldo/wingels deals. Hamilton move was very weird but I understand it now. LOVE the Lucic & Martin Jones trade, wish could've held on to Colin Miller. Still like the Nash move, just think we'd look at it very differently if he didn't get concussed. Krug, Marchand and Pastrnak deals were fantastic.

Sweeney's tenure has been very good so far.

 

[JP Nolan]

I think I'd take the Sweenius and his drafting ability over that of Chia and his NMC's.

Even if Sweeney has missed on hits like Belesky and Rinaldo, as well as Rick Nash (Backes could be joining them if he has a bad season next year, unfortunately.), I'd say getting guys like MacAvoy, Debrusk and Heinen and Bjork had more than made up for it.

The kids coming through the pipeline will be worth it when they're ready. I just don't want to see the Sweenius make any more attempts at homerun FA based moves. At least not for the immediate moment.

Heinen and Bjork are CHIARELLI..............Sweeney gets a C plus in his role so far. McAvoy, DeBrusk and Carlo are his gems......most everything else has been a disaster.....

 

[JP Nolan]

Sure, but Sweeney still had to sign them and get them to leave college. He could have also just as easily traded them away for help now, but he identified them as guys he wanted to keep in the organization. If Sweeney had traded either guy or failed to sign them, people would blame Sweeney so why can't he get credit for getting these guys into the system?

Whoever drafts them gets the credit.......Sweeney has a LONG WAY to go to match what Chiarelli did for this organization. .A long way to go....

 

[rocketdan9]

Signing Backes and was and always will be a bad move. Heinen and Bjork (and Pastrnak and Donato) were drafted while Chiarelli was the GM.

Bad moves
Backes, Beleskey signings
Stempniak, Rick Nash, Rielly Smith, Rinaldo trades
Missing out on Barzal, Connor (looks like it)

Good moves
Lucic, Hamilton trades
Pasta signing
Draft: Mcavoy, Carlo, Debrusk and Vaaka, Frederic, Studnicka all look promising

Sweeney should stick to the draft and trading current roster players(if it comes down to it) for picks. These are his strengths.

Take a backseat on trading assets/picks for vets or throwing money at UFAs.

 

[JP Nolan]

Bad moves
Backes, Beleskey signings
Stempniak, Rick Nash, Rielly Smith, Rinaldo trades
Missing out on Barzal, Connor (looks like it)

Good moves
Lucic, Hamilton trades
Pasta signing
Draft: Mcavoy, Carlo, Debrusk and Vaaka, Frederic, Studnicka all look promising

Sweeney should stick to the draft and trading current roster players(if it comes down to it) for picks. These are his strengths.

Take a backseat on trading assets/picks for vets or throwing money at UFAs.

Not protecting Colin Miller was real bad. He should have been protected over McQuaid, or Kevin Miller......No doubt...Missing BARZAL is not just a bad move. It is a major blunder And he still could have had DeBrusk. That was all time dumb. And everyone knows it.

Hamilton trade was not good. It should have been handled way better, and players back should have been more immediate roster players....

Lucic trade was great but he made is crappy when he lost Colin Miller....That kid is a leader and a top four DMAN already....BLEW IT.

 

[Boston Bruno]

Fire Sweeney. Didn't take Debrincat either,
Any dummy could get these results. Nothing good has come from his tenure.
Tosss em in the Charles.
Bring back Sinden.

 

[roflstomper]

He's had his hits (getting proper value for Lucic and Hamilton/Pastrnak signing) and misses (2016 rentals for no reason/not drafting Barzal and/or Connor) but overall pretty good. It's not exactly like he inherited a tire fire either (96 point team). The easiest part of trading stars and established NHLers for picks and hoarding prospects is done. What he does this offseason and next year is what is going to define him. Does he make the right moves and adjustments to fill out the roster, cut the fat, use his built up capital properly or what. Also interesting to see how the cap management goes, there is a bucket of RFAs after this year and 2 more big ones the year after and you're still going to have other major contracts on the books.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Bruins haven't had a decent GM since Art Ross.

And Ross was just decent.

 

[rocketdan9]

Not protecting Colin Miller was real bad. He should have been protected over McQuaid, or Kevin Miller......No doubt...Missing BARZAL is not just a bad move. It is a major blunder And he still could have had DeBrusk. That was all time dumb. And everyone knows it.

Hamilton trade was not good. It should have been handled way better, and players back should have been more immediate roster players....

Lucic trade was great but he made is crappy when he lost Colin Miller....That kid is a leader and a top four DMAN already....BLEW IT.

I agree. At the end of the day the Bruins propensity is to stay the big bad Bruins could be costing them some "correct moves". Not sure if Jacobs or Neely has instructed Sweeney (of all the above) to need to stay this way (tradition)

For example Colin Miller, Barzal do not fit this mold, thus Kevan Miller, Senyshyn (size) were preferred (guess)

 

[bruins repeat time]

Heinen and Bjork are CHIARELLI..............Sweeney gets a C plus in his role so far. McAvoy, DeBrusk and Carlo are his gems......most everything else has been a disaster.....

lol Sweeney has made some questionable moves but the fact the results are actually there and the future looks great he has done a fabulous job. Every gm makes bad moves -check Mcphee it is impossible not to. I was not a fan of Sweeney being named gm but he has won me over fast.

 

[chizzler]

Not protecting Colin Miller was real bad. He should have been protected over McQuaid, or Kevin Miller......No doubt...Missing BARZAL is not just a bad move. It is a major blunder And he still could have had DeBrusk. That was all time dumb. And everyone knows it.

Hamilton trade was not good. It should have been handled way better, and players back should have been more immediate roster players....

Lucic trade was great but he made is crappy when he lost Colin Miller....That kid is a leader and a top four DMAN already....BLEW IT.

Colin Miller being a leader and a top four defenseman is a joke. It’s obvious you don’t watch the Knights. He’s still the same guy playing sheltered minutes and I like him.
Barzal is too easy. Let’s see what he does when he’s the main center.
Hamilton isn’t that great or a none playoff team wouldn’t put him on the block.
Your probably one of the people here that would take Lucic back.
I think Conner told them he didn’t want to come to Boston.
Debrinkat had a great season, but not sure how he takes the beatings in the playoffs.

 

[chizzler]

You're lying if you weren't downright terrified during Bruins general manager Don Sweeney's first real flurry on the job.

While you didn't know the circumstances behind his moves, this is what you witnessed over that span: The Bruins traded pending restricted free agent and Zdeno Chara heir apparent Dougie Hamilton to Calgary for three draft picks, moved top-line winger Milan Lucic to Los Angeles for a first-round pick, backup goaltender, and defensive prospect. Tuukka Rask's name even made it down to the draft floor, with the Bruins allegedly fielding calls on the goaltender. Sweeney also failed a significant trade-up on the draft floor, and was instead stuck with back-to-back-to-back first-round picks. Oh, and he also traded a third-round pick for a player with as many suspensions as goals during his 52-game run in Boston in Zac Rinaldo.

It was almost enough to make you crave the days of Peter Chiarelli and trading draft picks for draft busts and old Senators. But all of that feels like a distant memory in 2018 thanks to Sweeney's undeniable improvement across the board.

This starts with the reason why Sweeney replaced Chiarelli in the first place: Cap management.

Should this go under the Sweeney thread? Hi Ty. We give you a lot of material.

 

[TCB]

Sweeney tenure overall Id say has been good. His biggest asset despite having some bad signings has been being able too create cap space and having the ability to be able to sign young players on ELC and have them contribute to the Bruins. His weakest point has been the in ability to bring in NHL level talent either via trade or FA signings.

His drafting has been A+. He got a sure bonafide number one defenseman and a future "Robert Gordon Orr Trophy "winner otherwise known as the James Norris trophy in Charlie McAvoy with the 14th overall pick in the 2016 draft, and by landing Debrusk a top six forward and Carlo a top 4 defenseman in the 2015 draft, solidifies Sweeney's draft lure. This and with many more prospects just a stride away from hitting the garden ice has led to this being Sweeney's bread and butter.

His trades Id have to give a C. His best trades were on draft day 2015 by trading Hamilton away for picks and dealing looch for a 1st rnd pick, Collin Miller and a number one goalie (M.Jones) who he quickly then turned into another 1st (Trent Fredric) and Sean Kuraly by dealing him away too S.J.

After those deals. Sweeney's deals have been pretty non-significant.

He made a cost cutting move by dealing away M.Savard's contract and Reilly Smith away for J. Hayes. Other than that its been seven deadline acquisitions, most of them amounting to giving away future picks for very little in return. His biggest deadline deal was this yr in Rick Nash, who brought energy and hustle but lacked finishing prowess and that was what Sweeney was looking for when he brought in the soon to be UFA.

His FA signings hasn't been eye-popping mainly because of the Beleskey debacle and the Backus signing was a yr too long and a little too rich but I can live with it because Backus is a gamer and brings a lot of intangibles to the Table.

The Bottom-Line is I'm happy with Sweeney but I'm still waiting for that much-needed deal or FA signing that puts the Bruins over the top!

The one thing we can't forget is PC left the Bruins in deep shit and Sweeney has done a great job of clawing his way out of it and much earlier than expected.

 

[CellyHard]

David Backes signing already deemed "bad" by Sweeney is a little premature. Was it a steal? god no. When it comes to the top free agents, they are usually overpaid. You get pieces that you are missing. We needed a right winger and one with some jam after trading Lucic.

57 GP for 14-19-33 which averages to be about 47 points over a full year. With his physicality and leadership, how can we complain right now? Couple years down the line maybe but we can't write it off this early.

It's also pretty tough for us to expect 50+ points out of him like his Blues days when we are giving him 5 minutes less of ice time. Not saying he deserves more TOI but just saying there may be some unrealistic expectations for production.

 

[jgatie]

Heinen and Bjork are CHIARELLI..............Sweeney gets a C plus in his role so far. McAvoy, DeBrusk and Carlo are his gems......most everything else has been a disaster.....

Lol, I knew your posts looked familiar!

 

[JRull86]

What in Colin Miller's two seasons here warranted protecting him over Kevan? Nothing. An inconsistent puck mover who was weak defensively. K Miller just came off of a great season, and took another step forward in the playoffs. He absolutely would have been selected if left unprotected. McQuaid was also not protected.

You lose K Miller, you now have a top 6 of Chara, McAvoy, Carlo, Krug, McQuaid, and C Miller. That is nowhere near good enough.

No doubt Colin took a step this year, but I'm so f***ing tired of the revisionist history nonsense that people have here.