Bottom line is he inherited a team with possibly 5 HOF players and proceeded to blow 3 consecutive drafts that not only blocked at least 1 Cup, but has also closed the window on Cup contention. How anyone can argue otherwise with a straight face is beyond me.
Boston Bruins 24-25 Roster/Cap thread XII
- Thread starter Gee Wally
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Last two games makes moves going forward an interesting dilemma. Swayman definitely stole a couple of games for the team. But also there was increased importance of each game, a matter of pride, and adrenaline motivating many of the players. One thing we do know is that this team does need some sort of offensive improvement, 1) on the power play, and 2) help with five on five scoring. They have to score more than 1 or 2 goals a game. Which if they do will help the defense and the goal differential. But will that help come via a trade or internally is the question?
As a whole the entire team for much of the season hasn't really been fully engaged in the games they have played. Part of that could be contributed to Montgomery having checked out with his bags packed and visions of anywhere else (St. Louis) in his head at the end of the season due to not having a contract extension. Another part could be subconsciously many of the players have lost the urgency of the regular season after the last couple of years and the need to finish first, as all that matters is to qualify for the playoffs.
It may be wishful thinking but part of me believes we will see a different team commitment after the Four Nations Tourney. This team when engaged can play with just about anyone in this league. Making the playoffs will be their goal, as opposed to finishing first like the past couple of seasons, and then maybe surprising a few teams and fans once there. As the games come to have more actual meaning I believe (hoping) the players individually and cohesively as a team will raise the level of their engagement and production leading to better outcomes.
March is going to be brutal with 10 of 14 games on the road. Either they thrive or dive. The trade deadline is March 7th upper management will have to decide by then their course of action. I'm hoping positive team play and outcome answers a lot of their concerns internally. Either way, they need to improve the present with their eye on improving the future ... no more sacrificing the future for a momentary band-aid.
As a whole the entire team for much of the season hasn't really been fully engaged in the games they have played. Part of that could be contributed to Montgomery having checked out with his bags packed and visions of anywhere else (St. Louis) in his head at the end of the season due to not having a contract extension. Another part could be subconsciously many of the players have lost the urgency of the regular season after the last couple of years and the need to finish first, as all that matters is to qualify for the playoffs.
It may be wishful thinking but part of me believes we will see a different team commitment after the Four Nations Tourney. This team when engaged can play with just about anyone in this league. Making the playoffs will be their goal, as opposed to finishing first like the past couple of seasons, and then maybe surprising a few teams and fans once there. As the games come to have more actual meaning I believe (hoping) the players individually and cohesively as a team will raise the level of their engagement and production leading to better outcomes.
March is going to be brutal with 10 of 14 games on the road. Either they thrive or dive. The trade deadline is March 7th upper management will have to decide by then their course of action. I'm hoping positive team play and outcome answers a lot of their concerns internally. Either way, they need to improve the present with their eye on improving the future ... no more sacrificing the future for a momentary band-aid.
I hope you don't think I believe it's outrageous that he's on his third coach. It's just a factor that goes into the discussion. If Sweeney was getting what he wanted out of his teams, there wouldn't be the changes and at some point it's on him for building the team. I don't necessarily think he should be fired or will be, but I think if the team does not qualify, he should be on the hot seat, and maybe a change could be looked at. That's the firing line to me, not 'sack his ass forthwith'
At the end of the day, I come back not to regular season performance, where the Bruins have excelled for the most part under Sweeney's tenure, but the lack of solid playoff success outside of 2019 (and that *should* have been a Cup). Out after the first or second round every year they've made it when they've had one of the winningest teams in the league in the same span is not great and might be worth looking at going in another direction.
Dennis Bonvie
Registered User
22Brad Park
Registered User
Bruins miss playoffs you can bet his seat gets super warm though.His days of firing coaches should be over.
Thre were a few D men on board when he picked McAvoy that was not rocket science .Alot say he should have taken Chychrun who is way better on offense.Credit on Swayman though at 111 th in draft & Frederic but not much else.. Anyways,he oversaw arguably the worst NHL draft in history in 2015 by a mile.Other drafts he took the likes of Axel Anderson with the 57th pick another beauty...Cole Spicer ,Curtis Hall ,traded Lauko who he took 77th overall.Studnicka 53rd overall, Vaak 18th overall was meh..Lots more too.
Now do the other the GMs in the league.
22Brad Park
Registered User
Take me all day.You guys want to defend Donny that's fine by me but personally I am just not a big fan of his decisions .The Bruins have been at the top of the standings a few times under him ( inherited core)so you guys have the ammo but end of the day he has built 0 Cup winners so I get Last laugh
.Slow the roll a tadTake me all day.You guys want to defend Donny that's fine by me but personally I am just not a big fan of his decisions .The Bruins have been at the top of the standings a few times under him ( inherited core)so you guys have the ammo but end of the day he has built 0 Cup winners so I get Last laugh
I have never been a "Donny defender" but let's at least stick to shit that he's actually done worse than other GMs around the league. (and there is some ammo there).
I've been fine with most of Sweeney's decisions, until this past summer. I think he blew it this past off season, and I'm not saying that after the fact, either.Take me all day.You guys want to defend Donny that's fine by me but personally I am just not a big fan of his decisions .The Bruins have been at the top of the standings a few times under him ( inherited core)so you guys have the ammo but end of the day he has built 0 Cup winners so I get Last laugh
Ain't his fault the team completely shit the bed in the post season, 2 years ago. Same goes for 2019. He did everything he had to do to give us a chance to win that Cup.
22Brad Park
Registered User
haha just having some fun.I want the Bruins to win a Cup to no matter who isGMSlow the roll a tad
No I am fully on board with him going all in 2 years ago.Monty played a big part in that moving D steady .My issue is he has never built a core at any level so I don't trust him.
Dennis Bonvie
Registered User
Clearly you don't know your history.
In 1990, the Edmonton Oilers had 12 picks (one in each round). Not one of those 11 players ever played a single game in the NHL. That's right, 11. Because one of their picks was invalid.
The Bruins drafted 10 players in 2015, 8 of them played at least a game in the NHL. Debrusk, Carlo and Lauzon are still, 10 years later, solid NHLers.
MarchysNoseKnows
Big Hat No Cattle
- Feb 14, 2018
- 10,162
- 20,487
Was hoping for some 2015 draft talk. Under discussed topic around here - glad we're getting around to it.
I subscribe to the Athletic and I enjoy their Player Cards that they post for every NHL player/team. I'm not a huge analytics guy and don't know the detail of how their model works, but their evaluations of this year's Bruins roster (to date) jives with my eye-test. Worth checking out. These stats are updated as the season progresses so they are real-time...
I’m a little torn on that but overall I agree with you. It’s tough to kill a GM for drafting as they obviously rely on their scouts and it’s an imperfect science. That said the GM needs to take ownership.
Folks who defend Sweeney will tell you drafting is a crapshoot and he’s had X guys play X games so he’s drafted ok, but in reality whiffing on those picks in that draft cost this franchise immensely. You could argue it killed them as it then forced them to give up picks to patch holes because they had so little pipeline talent. Is it time for DS to pay the piper on that, along with his other misses? I’d vote yes
TCB
Registered User
Nothing though, compares to the draft the St. Louis blues had in 1983 or should I say didn’t have.
DKH
Worst Poster/Awful Takes
- Feb 27, 2002
- 77,539
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Sweeney is a top GM
I’m disappointed with not keeping Heinen & Boqvist.
taking Vaak over Thomas (and Norris) will always bother me
The Panthers game and last night's iteration of bad blood between B's-TBL were perhaps my favorite outings all season.
No love lost between Boston and either FLA club, which is the way I like it.
Frederic, packaged with another roster player and AHL prospect, remains the Bruins' best bargaining chip, and with a goal (!) and a beat down, he didn't hurt his stock value any.
More please,
"It's alive!"
No love lost between Boston and either FLA club, which is the way I like it.
Frederic, packaged with another roster player and AHL prospect, remains the Bruins' best bargaining chip, and with a goal (!) and a beat down, he didn't hurt his stock value any.
More please,
"It's alive!"
PlayMakers
Registered User
Hasn't he reached the playoffs 8 of 9 times? The only time he missed was his first season on the job. This is his 10th season, and we don't know if they're going to miss this year. So reached the playoffs: 89%
Yeah, the lack of a Cup is a black mark, but my guess is an owner would say he built a team that got to Game 7 of the Cup Finals, at home. At some point it's the players have to take some responsibility for not being able to win the last game. I also think 25 other owners would kill to have the 5th most playoff wins in the league, over the last 9 years. I know that means nothing to fans, but it's literally millions of dollars in revenue to an owner.
Fwiw, I'm not even a "Sweeney guy." His press conferences and non-answers annoy me, his hiding from the media annoys me, I think he has a disdain for the fans, the way they try to hide bad news behind other big events bugs me. I feel like I criticize him for his mistakes (like signing Elias Lindholm and Backes) but I try to be impartial so I also defend him when I think people are being unfair or off base. I mean, outside of HFBoards, I think Sweeney is well respected. Around the league, I think Sweeney is considered one of the best GM's in the league. Yet, a lot of folks here act like he's a buffoon.
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HustleB
Cautiously Optimistic
There’s a lot of in game flexibility on those d pairs and I’d flip Braz and Beecher but I like where you’re at.
PlayMakers
Registered User
I agree great games. One difference for me though, is that I do respect Tampa. Lilleberg stood in there and took a beating for crossing the line. The Cowardly Lions in Miami would never do that. They'd pretend they were going to fight, they'd say they were going to fight, then not drop the gloves. Great team, I just hate their style.
HustleB
Cautiously Optimistic
AngryMilkcrates
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