Management Don Sweeney - State of the Bruins - 2/23/25

[Coach Parker]

Honestly, I use the LTIR money from the two D to trade for Pettersson, let him play with Pastrnak the rest of the way, move out Geekie, Coyle, Carlo, Frederic, Brazzeau and Korpisalo if you can.

Zacha - Pettersson - Pastrnak
Marchand - Lindholm - Poitras
XXX - XXX - XXX
XXX - Beecher - XXX
XXX

Zadorov - McAvoy
Lindholm - XXX
Lohrei - Peeke
Oesterle

Swayman
XXX

IF you decide to move Marchand for the playoffs and then re-sign him you take a stab at Rantanen then resign Marchand for the 3rd line.

Time to gut, re-stock and lock in a 1st line C.

 

[Blitzkrug]

This is going to be a long one but god i need to rant about how this dude has seemingly ironclad job security while being shitty at his job

God help us if this chucklef*** survives another offseason.

On the Sacco front; While i don't think he's a particularly good coach, i find myself hard pressed to blame him given the pile of shit he has to work with;

- He has exactly 2 top 6 forwards. One is pulling his weight after spending half the season trying to figure out how to get anything out of the plugs around him, and the other is 36 with a bad hip.

- Everyone else legitimately sucks. Coyle sucks, Lindholm has been a disaster, Zacha has been hot and cold. You have a hole you tried to fill with f***ing Justin Brazeau. I like the guy and the effort he brings, but ain't no way this guy is playing in an actual team's top 6 or power play.

- Other forwards are plugs. Koepke, Frederic, Beecher, whatever trash they call up up from the AHL to placate Sweeney's need for grit. One of the 3 promising prospects you have is stuck trying to make something worth with these meatheads.

- Top 2 defenseman are out, and the rest either suck (Lorhei, Carlo) or are miscast (Zadorov, Wotherspoon)

- Stuck with absolute bottom of the barrel assistant coaches

Scotty Bowman couldn't get shit out of this roster.

It all comes back to Sweeney. Him, and Neely have been given what amounts to diplomatic immunity for far too long. Guy's been in charge a decade and has drafted exactly 3 impact players in 10 drafts; McAvoy(which was as easy as you could get), Swayman and Carlo. Yes, it's hard when you trade your first round pick a good amount of the time, but still jesus man you can't hit on more than 2 late round picks?

Spoiler: Draft record

Let's not forget how mixed his deadline work has been.

2016 - traded assets for Lee Stempniak, a middle 6 forward for him to beat off to and John-Michael Liles. While the prices weren't stupidly high, it's the fact he thought this would be enough to move a needle. It wasn't and the Bruins missed the playoffs

2017 - Drew Stafford for a bag of pucks while the Bruins were in position to maybe make a more serious playoff run. Consider me whelmed.

2018 - Probably his most egregious deadline period; First, he dumps Frank Vatrano for a 3rd round pick because "he doesn't fit" because god forbid this team actually try to acclimate younger players. Vatrano puts up 20 goals in his first full season with Florida and has since gone on to be a pretty solid second line player looking at his third straight 20+ goal season with the Ducks. (Got himself a nice extension too. Good on ya, Frankie) He then followed it up by trading a 3rd for Nick Holden, for some reason.

And then the true coup; A first round pick, some junk and Ryan Lindgren (who ended up turning out alright) for a so obviously washed Rick Nash with head issues. Nash gets his bell rung (multiple times if memory serves) in the playoffs and never plays again. Bravo, Don.

2019 - Can't shit on this one. Coyle and Johansson. We all know how important this was.

2020 - A first rounder for Ondrej Kase. He played 20 total games for the Bruins, contributing nothing. Bravo Donnie. For good measure trade a solid 3rd liner in Danton Heinen for Nick Ritchie, who legitimately might be the dumbest hockey player i've ever watched.

2021 - Taylor Hall. Good move, didn't cost nothing and you got to hang on to him. Solid.

2022 - Hampus Lindhom. Cost at the time was debated (steep tbf) but you made that go away by locking him in to an 8 year extension. Questionable given there were already questions of how much gas the core had left but he's been great so far so i don't think you can get too mad.

2023 - The big one; Orlov, Bertuzzi, Hathaway as you're on the road to history. Basically a redux of Chiarelli pushing his chips into the table in 2011. Absolutely the right call, just didn't get the result you wanted.

2024 - A Bruins team punching above its weight in need of some forward help. Instead of maybe upping the ante you trade for a Patrick Maroon who can't skate or contribute anything outside of the odd mean chirp.

Other GMs have been fired for less, but not this guy.

 

[yazmybaby]

This is going to be a long one but god i need to rant about how this dude has seemingly ironclad job security while being shitty at his job

God help us if this chucklef*** survives another offseason.

On the Sacco front; While i don't think he's a particularly good coach, i find myself hard pressed to blame him given the pile of shit he has to work with;

- He has exactly 2 top 6 forwards. One is pulling his weight after spending half the season trying to figure out how to get anything out of the plugs around him, and the other is 36 with a bad hip.

- Everyone else legitimately sucks. Coyle sucks, Lindholm has been a disaster, Zacha has been hot and cold. You have a hole you tried to fill with f***ing Justin Brazeau. I like the guy and the effort he brings, but ain't no way this guy is playing in an actual team's top 6 or power play.

- Other forwards are plugs. Koepke, Frederic, Beecher, whatever trash they call up up from the AHL to placate Sweeney's need for grit. One of the 3 promising prospects you have is stuck trying to make something worth with these meatheads.

- Top 2 defenseman are out, and the rest either suck (Lorhei, Carlo) or are miscast (Zadorov, Wotherspoon)

- Stuck with absolute bottom of the barrel assistant coaches

Scotty Bowman couldn't get shit out of this roster.

It all comes back to Sweeney. Him, and Neely have been given what amounts to diplomatic immunity for far too long. Guy's been in charge a decade and has drafted exactly 3 impact players in 10 drafts; McAvoy(which was as easy as you could get), Swayman and Carlo. Yes, it's hard when you trade your first round pick a good amount of the time, but still jesus man you can't hit on more than 2 late round picks?

Spoiler: Draft record

View attachment 982089

Let's not forget how mixed his deadline work has been.

2016 - traded assets for Lee Stempniak, a middle 6 forward for him to beat off to and John-Michael Liles. While the prices weren't stupidly high, it's the fact he thought this would be enough to move a needle. It wasn't and the Bruins missed the playoffs

2017 - Drew Stafford for a bag of pucks while the Bruins were in position to maybe make a more serious playoff run. Consider me whelmed.

2018 - Probably his most egregious deadline period; First, he dumps Frank Vatrano for a 3rd round pick because "he doesn't fit" because god forbid this team actually try to acclimate younger players. Vatrano puts up 20 goals in his first full season with Florida and has since gone on to be a pretty solid second line player looking at his third straight 20+ goal season with the Ducks. (Got himself a nice extension too. Good on ya, Frankie) He then followed it up by trading a 3rd for Nick Holden, for some reason.

And then the true coup; A first round pick, some junk and Ryan Lindgren (who ended up turning out alright) for a so obviously washed Rick Nash with head issues. Nash gets his bell rung (multiple times if memory serves) in the playoffs and never plays again. Bravo, Don.

2019 - Can't shit on this one. Coyle and Johansson. We all know how important this was.

2020 - A first rounder for Ondrej Kase. He played 20 total games for the Bruins, contributing nothing. Bravo Donnie. For good measure trade a solid 3rd liner in Danton Heinen for Nick Ritchie, who legitimately might be the dumbest hockey player i've ever watched.

2021 - Taylor Hall. Good move, didn't cost nothing and you got to hang on to him. Solid.

2022 - Hampus Lindhom. Cost at the time was debated (steep tbf) but you made that go away by locking him in to an 8 year extension. Questionable given there were already questions of how much gas the core had left but he's been great so far so i don't think you can get too mad.

2023 - The big one; Orlov, Bertuzzi, Hathaway as you're on the road to history. Basically a redux of Chiarelli pushing his chips into the table in 2011. Absolutely the right call, just didn't get the result you wanted.

2024 - A Bruins team punching above its weight in need of some forward help. Instead of maybe upping the ante you trade for a Patrick Maroon who can't skate or contribute anything outside of the odd mean chirp.

Other GMs have been fired for less, but not this guy.

Great summary.
As Scotty Kilmer says " you can't fix stupid"

 

[Coach Parker]

This is going to be a long one but god i need to rant about how this dude has seemingly ironclad job security while being shitty at his job

God help us if this chucklef*** survives another offseason.

On the Sacco front; While i don't think he's a particularly good coach, i find myself hard pressed to blame him given the pile of shit he has to work with;

- He has exactly 2 top 6 forwards. One is pulling his weight after spending half the season trying to figure out how to get anything out of the plugs around him, and the other is 36 with a bad hip.

- Everyone else legitimately sucks. Coyle sucks, Lindholm has been a disaster, Zacha has been hot and cold. You have a hole you tried to fill with f***ing Justin Brazeau. I like the guy and the effort he brings, but ain't no way this guy is playing in an actual team's top 6 or power play.

- Other forwards are plugs. Koepke, Frederic, Beecher, whatever trash they call up up from the AHL to placate Sweeney's need for grit. One of the 3 promising prospects you have is stuck trying to make something worth with these meatheads.

- Top 2 defenseman are out, and the rest either suck (Lorhei, Carlo) or are miscast (Zadorov, Wotherspoon)

- Stuck with absolute bottom of the barrel assistant coaches

Scotty Bowman couldn't get shit out of this roster.

It all comes back to Sweeney. Him, and Neely have been given what amounts to diplomatic immunity for far too long. Guy's been in charge a decade and has drafted exactly 3 impact players in 10 drafts; McAvoy(which was as easy as you could get), Swayman and Carlo. Yes, it's hard when you trade your first round pick a good amount of the time, but still jesus man you can't hit on more than 2 late round picks?

Spoiler: Draft record

View attachment 982089

Let's not forget how mixed his deadline work has been.

2016 - traded assets for Lee Stempniak, a middle 6 forward for him to beat off to and John-Michael Liles. While the prices weren't stupidly high, it's the fact he thought this would be enough to move a needle. It wasn't and the Bruins missed the playoffs

2017 - Drew Stafford for a bag of pucks while the Bruins were in position to maybe make a more serious playoff run. Consider me whelmed.

2018 - Probably his most egregious deadline period; First, he dumps Frank Vatrano for a 3rd round pick because "he doesn't fit" because god forbid this team actually try to acclimate younger players. Vatrano puts up 20 goals in his first full season with Florida and has since gone on to be a pretty solid second line player looking at his third straight 20+ goal season with the Ducks. (Got himself a nice extension too. Good on ya, Frankie) He then followed it up by trading a 3rd for Nick Holden, for some reason.

And then the true coup; A first round pick, some junk and Ryan Lindgren (who ended up turning out alright) for a so obviously washed Rick Nash with head issues. Nash gets his bell rung (multiple times if memory serves) in the playoffs and never plays again. Bravo, Don.

2019 - Can't shit on this one. Coyle and Johansson. We all know how important this was.

2020 - A first rounder for Ondrej Kase. He played 20 total games for the Bruins, contributing nothing. Bravo Donnie. For good measure trade a solid 3rd liner in Danton Heinen for Nick Ritchie, who legitimately might be the dumbest hockey player i've ever watched.

2021 - Taylor Hall. Good move, didn't cost nothing and you got to hang on to him. Solid.

2022 - Hampus Lindhom. Cost at the time was debated (steep tbf) but you made that go away by locking him in to an 8 year extension. Questionable given there were already questions of how much gas the core had left but he's been great so far so i don't think you can get too mad.

2023 - The big one; Orlov, Bertuzzi, Hathaway as you're on the road to history. Basically a redux of Chiarelli pushing his chips into the table in 2011. Absolutely the right call, just didn't get the result you wanted.

2024 - A Bruins team punching above its weight in need of some forward help. Instead of maybe upping the ante you trade for a Patrick Maroon who can't skate or contribute anything outside of the odd mean chirp.

Other GMs have been fired for less, but not this guy.

Well thought out and thanks for this.

My only questions has always been how he has such job security like you posted. Looks like four good years BUT Hall basically forced his way here, not Don making the move to get him. so 3 years.

The big thing is that they made the playoffs and produced revenue despite some of his mistakes. It appears that the regime before him carried the team into the playoffs and he now has to address that 1st line C problem that he avoided since Patrice left.

You can argue that Lindholm is meant to be Krejci's replacement (and I do believe Elias will continue to improve) but Bergeron was never replaced.

 

[HumBucker]

"That being said, if there are opportunities to improve our team now and certainly moving forward, whether that’s positional shifts with other teams..."

Can someone run the bolded part through the Sweenese-English translator? What is he referring to?

 

[Ladyfan]

You can argue that Lindholm is meant to be Krejci's replacement (and I do believe Elias will continue to improve) but Bergeron was never replaced.

He isn't the kind of player you can really replace.

 

[bruinmann77]

Just sell for the best assets you can get . Without making the playoffs you can probably include DS getting fired and if that does probably Sacco goes too

This bruins team underperformed and should no way become buyers

 

[Coach Parker]

He isn't the kind of player you can really replace.

100% agree. My favourite player all time. His role as 1st line C was never replaced in any capacity.

 

[Ladyfan]

100% agree. My favourite player all time. His role as 1st line C was never replaced in any capacity.

I agree he wasn't replaced but there is no other like him

 

[DKH]

You might be right about Monty, but I truly believe there are more than one guilty party to this mess, and it all started offseason festered its way into camp and then regular season. By the way I have no freakn idea what FODKH means.

What ? Ok, I’ll keep it simp…..irl

This place is becoming a young persons message board. Most started following April 2011

My yutes tell me you want to converse on HF now you got to get with it

They also said stop defending Donny he’s old anyone under 40 isn’t going to dig his swag on HF - and those over 40 are just grouchy

 

[EverettMike]

What ? Ok, I’ll keep it simp…..irl

This place is becoming a young persons message board. Most started following April 2011

My yutes tell me you want to converse on HF now you got to get with it

They also said stop defending Donny he’s old anyone under 40 isn’t going to did his swag on HF - and those over 40 are just grouchy

In fairness to me I was grouchy in my 30s, too

 

[DKH]

I thought he handled the questions regarding injuries and Marchand very professionally. I will give him credit for that much I guess.

To me, he's coming across as disappointed by the realization that this team isn't worth buying for at the TDL.

Yup

I hope at season ending presser Sweeney puts the spotlight on significant injuries and messy hold out to key players- and getting out of the gate slow with a coach who’s heart wasn’t in it

Sweeney will likely take the high road but how about telling the truth what happened

 

[DKH]

In fairness to me I was grouchy in my 30s, too

my kid thinks you are wonderful- I don’t think she would believe it

 

[GordonHowe]

Countdown to TradeCentre: Big changes coming for Boston Bruins? | TSN

The NHL's March 7 Trade Deadline is approaching, and teams are making decisions on whether to buy or sell, and on which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value. Check out today's trade rumours and speculation from around the NHL beat.

www.tsn.ca

 

[smithformeragent]

Yeah, so I’m not in the mood to make another thread with a poll right now, and we don’t need another place to discuss the same content, but I 100% do not want this guy in charge of the roster or the board moving forward.

This organization is at a crossroads.
Do you chalk this season up as a loss, but look to retool this thing on the fly, or do you think bigger?

No half measures. I want the thing torn down.

Gut it.

Rebuild the culture from the ground up.

I don’t want to become the next Pittsburgh Penguins, trying to build it around what’s left of a core that once won cups.

Turn the page.

 

[DKH]

As always, Don Sweeney can never fail. He can only be failed.

#NeverSweeneysFault #TeflonDon

(If you could share those hashtags in the infamous text chain I'd appreciate it please and thank you.)

#seldomrightneverwrong I believe

The text group is more focused on best cuts of meat today

Lot of good sirloin vs NY strip steak pros & cons….i like rib eye but we are doing value

And best way to cook zucchini ~ long way or in half dollars

Spice talk as well

Not much hockey

 

[GordonHowe]

I am finished with Professor Sweeney.

Not because of anything he said, which as usual, consists of a lot of word salad meaning very little or nothing at all.

Likewise Bam Bam.

Wake me when it's over.

 

[goldenblack]

It is by taking on a portion of a players salary in a 3 team deal. Only thing is I don't want the Bruins to take on so much where it hampers them in future moves. Id much rather just have them Retain on their own players (UFA) for those picks, unless its an expiring contract their taking on from another team.

You don't even need a third team

Out: Carlo retained 15% (maybe Coyle makes more sense since his deal ends soon)

In: 1st rounder, 2nd rounder, bloated expiring UFA contract


is an example top of my head. That team can then go make another deal once we take their cap garbage

 

[EverettMike]

#seldomrightneverwrong I believe

The text group is more focused on best cuts of meat today

Lot of good sirloin vs NY strip steak pros & cons….i like rib eye but we are doing value

And best way to cook zucchini ~ long way or in half dollars

Spice talk as well

Not much hockey

I have an amazing zucchini air fryer recipe I'll send it to you when I have a chance.

 

[DKH]

I have an amazing zucchini air fryer recipe I'll send it to you when I have a chance.

Please - Joe aka Glorydaze was giving me all sorts of ways to cook this morning

Love zucchini

 

[Therick67]

I'd love to be a fly on the wall when daddy Jacobs finds out he won't be getting any playoff hot dog sales..

 

[The don godfather]

This is going to be a long one but god i need to rant about how this dude has seemingly ironclad job security while being shitty at his job

God help us if this chucklef*** survives another offseason.

On the Sacco front; While i don't think he's a particularly good coach, i find myself hard pressed to blame him given the pile of shit he has to work with;

- He has exactly 2 top 6 forwards. One is pulling his weight after spending half the season trying to figure out how to get anything out of the plugs around him, and the other is 36 with a bad hip.

- Everyone else legitimately sucks. Coyle sucks, Lindholm has been a disaster, Zacha has been hot and cold. You have a hole you tried to fill with f***ing Justin Brazeau. I like the guy and the effort he brings, but ain't no way this guy is playing in an actual team's top 6 or power play.

- Other forwards are plugs. Koepke, Frederic, Beecher, whatever trash they call up up from the AHL to placate Sweeney's need for grit. One of the 3 promising prospects you have is stuck trying to make something worth with these meatheads.

- Top 2 defenseman are out, and the rest either suck (Lorhei, Carlo) or are miscast (Zadorov, Wotherspoon)

- Stuck with absolute bottom of the barrel assistant coaches

Scotty Bowman couldn't get shit out of this roster.

It all comes back to Sweeney. Him, and Neely have been given what amounts to diplomatic immunity for far too long. Guy's been in charge a decade and has drafted exactly 3 impact players in 10 drafts; McAvoy(which was as easy as you could get), Swayman and Carlo. Yes, it's hard when you trade your first round pick a good amount of the time, but still jesus man you can't hit on more than 2 late round picks?

Spoiler: Draft record

View attachment 982089

Let's not forget how mixed his deadline work has been.

2016 - traded assets for Lee Stempniak, a middle 6 forward for him to beat off to and John-Michael Liles. While the prices weren't stupidly high, it's the fact he thought this would be enough to move a needle. It wasn't and the Bruins missed the playoffs

2017 - Drew Stafford for a bag of pucks while the Bruins were in position to maybe make a more serious playoff run. Consider me whelmed.

2018 - Probably his most egregious deadline period; First, he dumps Frank Vatrano for a 3rd round pick because "he doesn't fit" because god forbid this team actually try to acclimate younger players. Vatrano puts up 20 goals in his first full season with Florida and has since gone on to be a pretty solid second line player looking at his third straight 20+ goal season with the Ducks. (Got himself a nice extension too. Good on ya, Frankie) He then followed it up by trading a 3rd for Nick Holden, for some reason.

And then the true coup; A first round pick, some junk and Ryan Lindgren (who ended up turning out alright) for a so obviously washed Rick Nash with head issues. Nash gets his bell rung (multiple times if memory serves) in the playoffs and never plays again. Bravo, Don.

2019 - Can't shit on this one. Coyle and Johansson. We all know how important this was.

2020 - A first rounder for Ondrej Kase. He played 20 total games for the Bruins, contributing nothing. Bravo Donnie. For good measure trade a solid 3rd liner in Danton Heinen for Nick Ritchie, who legitimately might be the dumbest hockey player i've ever watched.

2021 - Taylor Hall. Good move, didn't cost nothing and you got to hang on to him. Solid.

2022 - Hampus Lindhom. Cost at the time was debated (steep tbf) but you made that go away by locking him in to an 8 year extension. Questionable given there were already questions of how much gas the core had left but he's been great so far so i don't think you can get too mad.

2023 - The big one; Orlov, Bertuzzi, Hathaway as you're on the road to history. Basically a redux of Chiarelli pushing his chips into the table in 2011. Absolutely the right call, just didn't get the result you wanted.

2024 - A Bruins team punching above its weight in need of some forward help. Instead of maybe upping the ante you trade for a Patrick Maroon who can't skate or contribute anything outside of the odd mean chirp.

Other GMs have been fired for less, but not this guy.

He did find swayman lohrei poitras McAvoy carlo through draft and got Coyle and zacha for basically nothing. Those are some solid foundational pieces.

 

[DKH]

I am finished with Professor Sweeney.

Not because of anything he said, which as usual, consists of a lot of word salad meaning very little or nothing at all.

Likewise Bam Bam.

Wake me when it's over.

Hey Mark I’m going tomorrow I’ll drop by and say hello - not sure if they have any Pups calendars my kid looking for one

Maybe Jacobs will give me a 2 month discount

I'd love to be a fly on the wall when daddy Jacobs finds out he won't be getting any playoff hot dog sales..

He loses 2-3 games but Celtics could if can beat Cleveland get a dozen

 

[EverettMike]

Please - Joe aka Glorydaze was giving me all sorts of ways to cook this morning

Love zucchini

Air Fryer Zucchini

I usually just use Italian seasoning instead of basil and oregano separately. A good general rule is to always use grated Romano over parmesan when you can. (Though this is still excellent with parm.)

We also make this with feta cheese sometimes and it is just as great. You can pretty much substitute whatever breadcrumbs you like/have (panko are the best for this).

The best advice I never take is to really let the zucchini dry out so they get real crispy when you cook.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Yeah, so I’m not in the mood to make another thread with a poll right now, and we don’t need another place to discuss the same content, but I 100% do not want this guy in charge of the roster or the board moving forward.

This organization is at a crossroads.
Do you chalk this season up as a loss, but look to retool this thing on the fly, or do you think bigger?

No half measures. I want the thing torn down.

Gut it.

Rebuild the culture from the ground up.

I don’t want to become the next Pittsburgh Penguins, trying to build it around what’s left of a core that once won cups.

Turn the page.

I would argue Pittsburgh was in a way better spot to stay the course. 22/23 is where it started to go off the rails for them but before that they Crosby and Malkin were still tearing it up, they had a solid supporting cast with guys like Guentzel, Rust, Zucker and Rakell and then a solid group of defenseman.

The first mistake was giving out that completely unprompted extension to a Kris Letang that was declining fast. The second, oddly enough, was hiring Kyle Dubas.

Pittsburgh had room to maneuver and possibly transition but he completely screwed them with a cadre of bad trades (the Karlsson one, Marino trade) and then even worse signings like giving Jarry a 5 year deal when everyone but him already knew he wasn't the guy and signing Ryan Graves to waste space.

The Penguins never lost any of their core, whereas the Bruins lost by far the most important piece to retirement.