Confirmed with Link: Bruins hire Don Sweeney as GM

[BMC]

Well so much for trading him

 

[DoubleAAAA]

I was thinking about phrasing this in a different way. Depth charts.

C
Krejci
Bergeron
Spooner
Talbot
Khokhlachev

LW
Lucic
Marchand
Smith
Kelly
???

RW
Pastrnak
Eriksson
Connolly
Ferlin
Griffith

LD
Chara
Seidenberg
Krug
Morrow

RD
Hamilton
McQuaid
Miller
Trotman


Highlight the areas you'd like to improve, what can move and where.

Bold are guys I'd target to potentially move or not bring back. I'd only move one of Loui/Smith unless there was a deal that made sense in a swap of forwards. I'd try to Leverage Loui + into that RH D to play with Krug or Morrow on the 2nd pair. Tough sledding trying to find that RD though. Lots of guys that look interesting but most are L Shot, LD guys. Muzzin, Martinez, B. Smith, Kulikov, Edler, Scandella, Quincy, Wiercioch.

 

[Estlin]

Can't imagine the Bruins would even contemplate trading Lucic until next year's trading deadline at the earliest , our forward group would unquestionably be the softest group in the NHL. Hopefully they are able to both resign him and bring him some help in the physicality department because right now he is basically a lone wolf amongst the forwards.

I wouldn't consider the lineups of Tampa Bay, NYR and the Blackhawks particularly tough by any means, yet they are three of four remaining teams competing for a Stanley Cup at the moment.

 

[Fenian24]

I wouldn't consider the lineups of Tampa Bay, NYR and the Blackhawks particularly tough by any means, yet they are three of four remaining teams competing for a Stanley Cup at the moment.

Yet it sounds like Neely and Sweeney are going to correct the course set by Chiarelli to be small, soft and gutless.

I hope the plan is to look more like the Ducks than team Euro in Tampa. I have much more faith in this management team to make this team tough to play against again, and yes that means hitting and fighting, concepts that are still a part of the game.

I would also expect Lucic to have some much needed help at forward in the hitting and fighting part of the game. At least Tyler Randell and I personally expect more. Would be amazed if Smith and Eriksson are both on the team next year.

 

[OldScool]

Yet it sounds like Neely and Sweeney are going to correct the course set by Chiarelli to be small, soft and gutless.

I hope the plan is to look more like the Ducks than team Euro in Tampa. I have much more faith in this management team to make this team tough to play against again, and yes that means hitting and fighting, concepts that are still a part of the game.

Chia's downfall was caused by the Habs. It seems Chia was convinced we couldn't get passed them and decided to build a finesse team to match the Habs rather than go with the strength of the roster which was toughness. Team was caught in a 50/50 of finesse/toughness and it didn't work. Now the B's are neither skilled enough nor tough enough.

 

[C77]

Well so much for trading him

Well it's not like the organization is going to come out and say the guy stinks and that they can't wait to get rid of him. (even if that were to be true)

 

[C77]

Anyway I'm happy with the Sweeney hire even if I don't think Chiarelli should have gotten canned.

Time to go young and fix cap issues....not looking for a total rebuild...I think they could still make the playoffs with a couple of tweaks but contending for a championship seems very unlikely in the short term....and if that is the case, then it's time to move on from some veterans who will be free agents in the near future. Hopefully a new coach too.

Curiosity....what happens if Sweeney's Bruins miss the playoffs the next 2 years...(just a hypothetical)...should he get canned based on the ridiculous standard of Chiarelli's firing?

 

[Fire Sweeney]

 

[BB88]

Really don't understand what the infatuation is with trading the one good offensive player on our team. Especially when the deal usually revolves around scrubs like Backes and Oshie.

Only way I would trade Krecji would be for young hihly potential D so if we could have elite 1st pairing for 10 years it would be very hard to say no.

With ya, never been anywhere as impressed as some are with him

Check out those playoff stats too, um, fugly

Agree, we need real help not him for Krecji.

 

[Bi Coastal Bawse*]

He wants to bring aggressiveness back. I like that and I hope we have some tough and big guys on the team this season. McQuaid cant be the only one standing up for people again.

 

[Era of Sanity]

Not good. Most of that experience involved running his team into the ground.

 

[Ice Nine]

you go with two 200 foot players in Bergeon and Krejci, and let Spooner play third line.

Eriksson-Krejci-Connelly

Marchand-Bergeron-Smith

Lucic-Spooner-Pastrank

I like Loui (assuming he's here) with Krejci; and I like Connelly with a play maker....the Spooner line played well last year and should have a motivated Lucic, a much better, older, and experienced Pasta and Spooner

not bad forward group when your oldest guy is Bergeron

I'm still worried about our scoring.

Smith regressed into a third liner last year (or a good 4th liner). 13 goals, and 40% of them were scored in a single month (5 in December).

I'm still not sold on Connolly yet, either. Plays a physical game, but didn't look like a top line winger (or scoring talent) to me. Small sample of course, but those were my observations. Yzerman knows what top talent looks like. If Connolly showed it, hard to see Yzerman letting him go for a pair of 2nds.

We still need a proven top line scoring talent to occupy the... top line. We lost Seguin and Iginla and have not replaced them.

We looked better at the end of the year last season, but there was really only one line performing: Spooner/Lucic/Pasta. The rest: meh. Smith was a ghost. Marchand perimeter. Krejci slow, unproductive, and unthreatening. Soda a ghost most nights. Fourth line hemmed in constantly.

Sweeney seemed very live to the Bruins' lack of scoring. I think he understands we can't field the same forward group and cross our fingers that they'll transform from the bottom third (or quarter) of the league in scoring into a top team.

So, I'm looking forward to see what he does.

 

[ODAAT]

I'm still worried about our scoring.

Smith regressed into a third liner last year (or a good 4th liner). 13 goals, and 40% of them were scored in a single month (5 in December).

I'm still not sold on Connolly yet, either. Plays a physical game, but didn't look like a top line winger (or scoring talent) to me. Small sample of course, but those were my observations. Yzerman knows what top talent looks like. If Connolly showed it, hard to see Yzerman letting him go for a pair of 2nds.

We still need a proven top line scoring talent to occupy the... top line. We lost Seguin and Iginla and have not replaced them.

We looked better at the end of the year last season, but there was really only one line performing: Spooner/Lucic/Pasta. The rest: meh. Smith was a ghost. Marchand perimeter. Krejci slow, unproductive, and unthreatening. Soda a ghost most nights. Fourth line hemmed in constantly.

Sweeney seemed very live to the Bruins' lack of scoring. I think he understands we can't field the same forward group and cross our fingers that they'll transform from the bottom third (or quarter) of the league in scoring into a top team.

So, I'm looking forward to see what he does.

way too small a sample size to judge Connolly on especially considering he barely got a sniff in a Bruins uni after the post trade injury

Smith? I don`t know, we have alot of fans here claiming to be tired of this organization giving up too soon on young prospects/players, seems to me Smitty is just that (not implying you were one of them). Bad year for the kid last year, I feel the same can be said for virtually everyone on that roster save a few.

Smitty would concern me if he was floating and appearing as though he could give a ***t but I didn`t see that, I saw a kid who`s confidence was shot and it affected every area of his game. I like the kid, in fact, I like him alot and judging by what Sweeney spoke about in the presser, he wants to move forward with patience when it comes to younger players and not be so quick to dismiss them too soon

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

Don Sweeney will be on Dale & Holley at 4:05.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Yet it sounds like Neely and Sweeney are going to correct the course set by Chiarelli to be small, soft and gutless.

I hope the plan is to look more like the Ducks than team Euro in Tampa. I have much more faith in this management team to make this team tough to play against again, and yes that means hitting and fighting, concepts that are still a part of the game.

I would also expect Lucic to have some much needed help at forward in the hitting and fighting part of the game. At least Tyler Randell and I personally expect more. Would be amazed if Smith and Eriksson are both on the team next year.

While I prefer a team like ANA, if you actually watch Team Euro in Tampa closely, you would see that guys like Kucherov and Palat (and TJ) are not soft at all. While they don't fight, they go to the dirty areas, check, and their compete level is very good. They are not "soft" at all.

 

[ODAAT]

Chia's downfall was caused by the Habs. It seems Chia was convinced we couldn't get passed them and decided to build a finesse team to match the Habs rather than go with the strength of the roster which was toughness. Team was caught in a 50/50 of finesse/toughness and it didn't work. Now the B's are neither skilled enough nor tough enough.

Bergy/Marchand/Pasta/Loui/Looch/Krejci/Krejci and yes Smith....there`s plenty of skill, that list might not be "elite" (a phrase tossed around far too liberally) but I bet you ask 29 other GM`s if they`d like a chance to have a shot at nabbing that list, I`d wager not many would say "pass" to any of them in spite of a down year from most on that list

Speed mixed with a few guys who love the gritty stuff is what`s most missing IMO

 

[ODAAT]

Yet it sounds like Neely and Sweeney are going to correct the course set by Chiarelli to be small, soft and gutless.

I hope the plan is to look more like the Ducks than team Euro in Tampa. I have much more faith in this management team to make this team tough to play against again, and yes that means hitting and fighting, concepts that are still a part of the game.

I would also expect Lucic to have some much needed help at forward in the hitting and fighting part of the game. At least Tyler Randell and I personally expect more. Would be amazed if Smith and Eriksson are both on the team next year.

While not the first to initiate contact, I don`t look at the Bolts as a soft team

When I hear the word soft tossed around, I envision a team who is easily intimidated to the point where they have nobody willing to go into a corner to take a hit, make a play along the boards, stand in front.....they are far from soft.

Very similar (not shockingly) to the Wings who are far from soft but aren`t the type of team who plays intimidated when facing more physical teams

 

[mislysBB]

Meh.

Although he does have a pretty decent draft record (even when he was in TOR) his trade record is hideous, obviously.

 

[xStanleyCupsFor]

I think it's a smart move. He'll do a great job.

I'm looking forward to next season. As a fan, I really like what I heard from him. He hit on all the major issues I saw this year, some well known to many, and some a little more subtle. Obviously it's only words at this point, but lets give him a chance to put his stamp on this team. He's got his work cut out for him.

Congrats and good luck Don!

 

[ODAAT]

Meh.

Although he does have a pretty decent draft record (even when he was in TOR) his trade record is hideous, obviously.

I haven`t a clue but I will guess Fergy is well schooled with the complexity of contracts and may have a bit more experience with that side of the business than Sweeney?

 

[DaBroons]

Did we value Lindholm that much more than Monahan/Nurse/etc

Yes, Lindholm was the player that the Broons coveted. That's why no trade was made; he was gone when it was Calgary's turn. My guess is that Carolina didn't want Seguin's contract.

I don't know WHY, but a guess would be that Lindholm is a RW/C, whereas Monahan is a center and of course Nurse a Dman. RW was their position of need, which is fine if the player is ready to contribute on Day 1, but otherwise you have to draft the best player available. They figured they didn't need another center, so why make the trade and draft Monahan? They got 3 wingers and a dman for Seguin/Pevs.

 

[OldScool]

Bergy/Marchand/Pasta/Loui/Looch/Krejci/Krejci and yes Smith....there`s plenty of skill, that list might not be "elite" (a phrase tossed around far too liberally) but I bet you ask 29 other GM`s if they`d like a chance to have a shot at nabbing that list, I`d wager not many would say "pass" to any of them in spite of a down year from most on that list

Speed mixed with a few guys who love the gritty stuff is what`s most missing IMO

Plenty of skill for 2nd and 3rd lines in the NHL but there isn't a true #1 line in that group in my opinion and thus them missing the playoffs. Stats prove that as well. Bruins are full of depth players.

 

[bruinmann77]

Would Ferguson now take over as the Providence GM

 

[DKH]

I'm still worried about our scoring.

Smith regressed into a third liner last year (or a good 4th liner). 13 goals, and 40% of them were scored in a single month (5 in December).

I'm still not sold on Connolly yet, either. Plays a physical game, but didn't look like a top line winger (or scoring talent) to me. Small sample of course, but those were my observations. Yzerman knows what top talent looks like. If Connolly showed it, hard to see Yzerman letting him go for a pair of 2nds.

We still need a proven top line scoring talent to occupy the... top line. We lost Seguin and Iginla and have not replaced them.

We looked better at the end of the year last season, but there was really only one line performing: Spooner/Lucic/Pasta. The rest: meh. Smith was a ghost. Marchand perimeter. Krejci slow, unproductive, and unthreatening. Soda a ghost most nights. Fourth line hemmed in constantly.

Sweeney seemed very live to the Bruins' lack of scoring. I think he understands we can't field the same forward group and cross our fingers that they'll transform from the bottom third (or quarter) of the league in scoring into a top team.

So, I'm looking forward to see what he does.

They should score- 3 players who have scored 30 in a year, three more who have scored atleast 20, and the three that didn't are all considered plus offensive players.

Pretty good
It's the defense that is a worry

 

[bruinmann77]

I would agree they need to get a top 4 dman .