Management Don Sweeney V

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TheBigBadB

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So you guys are now literally giving your GM two years. Sweeney gets fired in May, next guy gets two years as well? Do teams fire their GMs after two years? Any examples?

Do you think Don is a leader? Why is he hiding? Why isn't he on TV answering hard questions? I know deals are hard to do, but speaking to the media/fans Is something he should be doing regardless. He doesn't do any of this. He is not GM of the providence Bruins, he is the GM of an NHL team. This silent war with everyone frankly is making it tough to watch this team and get behind them. You want to feel the team is in good hands, but he inspires no confidence.
 

Coach Parker

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Did I miss a deal that went down today that would have helped us?

Nope. I get your point and am waiting for this GM to improve this team but I've now bought into the idea (it makes sense so far given his record) that Don Sweeney has become a HF Board fan and fallen in love with his prospects. He's a scout and player developer.

It could be in his eyes that DeBrusk is the next Pastrnak, JFK is the next Bergeron, Senyshyn is the next Marchand, McAcvoy is the next Chara and all we need to do is wait it out for these elite players to emerge.

I'm all for giving prospects time to develop but I'm deadset against giving EVERY single prospect years to develop and completely ignoring the sub-par product on the ice that needs help.

His abilities as a GM will be on display in the next three weeks more than ever before; sell and get any assets possible for as many of the Bruins as possible or assess his system and decide which assets can be turned into tangible help for the one line running the Boston Bruins.
 

DKH

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Feb 27, 2002
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Do you think Don is a leader? Why is he hiding? Why isn't he on TV answering hard questions? I know deals are hard to do, but speaking to the media/fans Is something he should be doing regardless. He doesn't do any of this. He is not GM of the providence Bruins, he is the GM of an NHL team. This silent war with everyone frankly is making it tough to watch this team and get behind them. You want to feel the team is in good hands, but he inspires no confidence.

I saw him tonight he didn't look like he was hiding at all and his lips were moving

Can't believe the number of leafs fans at the game we had a bunch in our section loved seeing the Gilmour jerseys

Bruins fans want to run this guy out while half his first draft are still teenagers

Come on guys your smarter than this - this is the inane stuff you hear on Felger & Mazz and the hockey call in shows
 

Coach Parker

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Sweeney should sit tight if he has any brains and sell at deadline

What's to be sold of value? Are we looking at a garage sale that cars don't even stop to peek at the products because they know they aren't worth spending on?

Beleskey
Spooner
Miller
Miller
Morrow
McQuaid
Czarnik
Nash
Schaller
Vatrano
Khudobin


...the rest are the top line and NTC players. I am with you here given that he doesn't appear to be interested in paying the price for a RHD and winger for Krejci but I don't see anyone giving out anything more than 5th round picks for anyone on that list other than Spooner.

Sad state for the NHL Bruins right now.
 
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Coach Parker

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I saw him tonight he didn't look like he was hiding at all and his lips were moving

Can't believe the number of leafs fans at the game we had a bunch in our section loved seeing the Gilmour jerseys

Bruins fans want to run this guy out while half his first draft are still teenagers

Come on guys your smarter than this - this is the inane stuff you hear on Felger & Mazz and the hockey call in shows

I get you. My honest mistake (and many of us here tonight) was made by tuning in tonight. That is the honest truth.

We made the mistake of expecting this Bruins team to be more than what they have been the last three years. I broke my streak by watching this team play tonight and was reminded of the product and how it is frustrating. So we vent here on HF.
 

TheBigBadB

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I saw him tonight he didn't look like he was hiding at all and his lips were moving

Can't believe the number of leafs fans at the game we had a bunch in our section loved seeing the Gilmour jerseys

Bruins fans want to run this guy out while half his first draft are still teenagers

Come on guys your smarter than this - this is the inane stuff you hear on Felger & Mazz and the hockey call in shows

It's hard to talk to you because you think everything Don has done is gold, and if it's not it's because of Neely. Never him. Because you know "inside stuff", right? Sorry just don't believe it.

Of course he is at the games, doesn't mean anything. He is not talking to the mass of fans that is my biggest gripe. I hope his draft picks pan out, but that's not it. Get in front of the media and talk to the media. This is your mouthpiece to the fans and it's time to face the music
 

finchster

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Seguin was the last of the win now blunders. It was the definition of win now. They also signed Iginla to take the place of Horton and gave him all those easy incentives that was the reason they dealt Boychuk. That was the definition of cap hell.

Trading Pasta in the summer for a defenseman was a win now move many were in favor of. Trading Carlo for a more established forward is a win now move. Sweeney had resisted these (if they are even out there).

There will come a time soon Sweeney will do a "Horton" trade I would imagine, especially if he keeps his first round pick this year.

As for the bolded, it depends on who that defencemen is. There were rumours of the Bruins trading Pastrnak for Trouba. There would obviously be more pieces but Trouba has 21 points in 40 games, of which 20 are even strength, and he is playing 24 minutes a night.

Trading Pastrnak for Trouba would've been a hockey trade, and you know I would've pulled the trigger because getting a guy with top pairing potential is more valuable than a 30 goal winger.
 

LouJersey

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Nope. I get your point and am waiting for this GM to improve this team but I've now bought into the idea (it makes sense so far given his record) that Don Sweeney has become a HF Board fan and fallen in love with his prospects. He's a scout and player developer.

It could be in his eyes that DeBrusk is the next Pastrnak, JFK is the next Bergeron, Senyshyn is the next Marchand, McAcvoy is the next Chara and all we need to do is wait it out for these elite players to emerge.

I'm all for giving prospects time to develop but I'm deadset against giving EVERY single prospect years to develop and completely ignoring the sub-par product on the ice that needs help.

His abilities as a GM will be on display in the next three weeks more than ever before; sell and get any assets possible for as many of the Bruins as possible or assess his system and decide which assets can be turned into tangible help for the one line running the Boston Bruins.

I see him as making the hard choice right now. It seems you could overpay for Duchene or Lando. He could have dealt Carlo for Trouba I would guess. That's an easy way to get better....for now.

Imo he has mcavoy. Carlo and Chiller on the right side. Krug Chara and a search for a number 1 on the left. Those five cost what only 12 mil next year? He will either spend money or prospects and picks there.

He's made his bed with his big five up front money wise (pasta will be added) with 37-46-42-63-88. Backes IMO will have to move to center unless JFK can win it. The Nash / Spooner center fiasco needs to be over. Guys like them and beleskey and Hayes will be gone as well. Hope is MB has a good year next year and then you can hopefully trade him.

The back up goalie was a lesson learned this year. You need a solid 25 game guy. Guessed wrong with Dobby. Tuukka also has shown he just isn't a consistent horse. Just doesn't have the body for it.

May also have to switch the coach. The Penguins core certainly got new life, maybe it could happen here.
 

LouJersey

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As for the bolded, it depends on who that defencemen is. There were rumours of the Bruins trading Pastrnak for Trouba. There would obviously be more pieces but Trouba has 21 points in 40 games, of which 20 are even strength, and he is playing 24 minutes a night.

Trading Pastrnak for Trouba would've been a hockey trade, and you know I would've pulled the trigger because getting a guy with top pairing potential is more valuable than a 30 goal winger.

What about if you are forecasting a right side of Carlo Chiller and McAvoy as early as next season? They may like that Plus Pasta next season.

I do tend to subscribe to your thinking but the Bruins have no scoring. You have two scoring wingers right now and that's it.
 

finchster

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What about if you are forecasting a right side of Carlo Chiller and McAvoy as early as next season? They may like that Plus Pasta next season.

I do tend to subscribe to your thinking but the Bruins have no scoring. You have two scoring wingers right now and that's it.

I don't rate Miller at all, Carlo's top potential is top-4 defensive defencemen, and McAvoy, a prospect I like, is probably 3-5 years from being a real impact player. Only McAvoy could potentially be better, but one in the hand is worth two in the bush. I think it is also easier to acquire a forward than it is a defencemen.

Truth be told, I'd like to see a Bruins team with two number one defencemen.
 

Gordoff

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Jan 18, 2003
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Just like the rest of management Sweeney is hiding. At least Chia was on every couple of weeks in between periods talking about the team. Sweeney has maybe done 1 or 2 since he took over.

He isn't a leader standing in front of the media and taking the shots. He is hiding in the club house with Neely. Lack of any leadership from management here should have the owners fuming. I just don't understand why its so quiet.

I'm sure they will be if:
A) Fans stop showing up.
B) No playoff revenue for the third straight year.

I would LOVE to be a fly on the wall when this goes down.




It's pretty obvious his interest in the current product is minimal.

Honestly, if you gave ANY head scout a GM position what would you expect him to do?

1. Trade NHL talent looking for raises for draft picks.
2. Trade for more draft picks.
3. Make stretch picks for players he loves over consensus picks.
4. Make cheap stop-gap trades to try and ice a fringe playoff team.
5. Sit on prospects and hope they develop.
6. Do not trade any prospects for help with the current product.
7. Avoid the media for a couple years.
8. Hope his picks pay off.

My guess is if he had more guys without NTC's he'd be trading them for picks right now. And then more picks.

If I'm Bergeron and that top line I'm hating what my GM has done the last three years no matter who was at the helm.

Now it looks more and more like 2020 is the year and we'll all be HOPING that the current top line is still a top line while all the prospects drafted fill up the bottom six.

Still no second line though.


Bergy is starting to remind me of Ray Bourque, if it wasn't for the SC in 2011 I wonder if he'd be asking out this or next year?




I think there are prospects in that mix who will be top6/top4 players. Krejci didn't post monster numbers at 18/19. Pasta was 25th overall, Carlo, Chara, Krug weren't pegged as 1st line/top4 guys at 18/19... Just because we don't have a former blue-chip 17 year old doesn't mean we don't have players capable of developing into top half of the roster players.

That said, it seems unlikely everything is just going to fall into place by itself and not require some tweaking. EDM drafted 1st overall for a hundred years in a row, but it took some bold TRADES and some UFA signings, etc to turn that collection of prospects into a 1st place team. Same thing happened in Chicago, trading for Patrick Sharp, signing Hossa, Panarin, Johnny Oduya...

I'm not all-out on Sweeney yet, but it's the 11th hour for me. At some point he's going to have to make moves that help this team and sitting on his hands while the season slips away isn't exactly filling me with confidence.

I'm still waiting for them to fill the hole left by the Boychuk trade. I mean, it's been a couple seasons now and not only did they leave that hole unfilled but they allowed new ones to surface without a move that gives (me anyway) any confidence in management.

As for Neely, he should be a greeter ala Walmart.
You would think that after approximately 6 years as president he would've learned something?
Maybe take some management and public relations and public speaking courses???
No, he seems to have learned nothing in six years on the job.

"Hello, good morning, thanks for coming to our game tonight. Please feel free to buy a ridiculously priced hotdog, beer or cola. If you need anything please let me know."
He just is NOT qualified to be anything in the FO, never mind "President." Does he have nude photos of JJ wearing lingerie and dancing the watusi with a sheep or what?
On to Don Sweeney. He's educated, he's got FO experience prior to being GM, he knows how to crunch numbers and presumably what a successful hockey player looks like by playing with/against so many of them over the years.
I can't believe that a Harvard degree is so ineffectual that he can't make use of it to make personnel decisions and moves besides just getting rid of Hamilton and trade Looch (both of which I still applaud).
But since then all he's done is spend almost up to the cap again without making moves that would bring in good young talent (emphasis on good). I'm not going to go over his moves one by one because that's been done ad-nauseum, but bottom line is that this team is a shadow of what they would be, should be, could be constantly competitive.





Do you think Don is a leader? Why is he hiding? Why isn't he on TV answering hard questions? I know deals are hard to do, but speaking to the media/fans Is something he should be doing regardless. He doesn't do any of this. He is not GM of the providence Bruins, he is the GM of an NHL team. This silent war with everyone frankly is making it tough to watch this team and get behind them. You want to feel the team is in good hands, but he inspires no confidence.

I'm really astonished that Sweeney is seemingly having such a difficult time communicating with the fans and media. He acts as though he doesn't need to explain anything to anyone. I'm sure he talks with CJ and Cam but someone needs to make some moves NOW and then go on a public relations spree and get out there, give out hats, pucks and spread the word that there's a plan and hint at the plan. This business of acting coy, as though they aren't too concerned so that other GM's may be goofy enough to give up something for nothing isn't working. Is he going to pull off an eleventh hour trade or two or just let this season die a slow, agonizing death? Is he going to mercy fire Claude? Is he going to do anything at all before or after the tdl?
The biggest mystery to me is how people show up and shell out their hard earned money to watch this snooze-fest and eat that so called food?
 
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Stone Roses

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Dec 27, 2009
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Sweeney should sit tight if he has any brains and sell at deadline

DKH - just to understand as it sometimes can be difficult. So you have changed your mind now and don't believe in a stronger second half with Heinen, Donato, Debrusk etc joining the team making us contenders? Rather "sell" (or build for the future) now at the deadline?

Agree on sitting tight though and not making deals for sake of it and please fans.

Thanks.
 
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Duguay

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Simpy put, the Bruins are not a properly crafted team, and they have not been for some time now.

I have seen next to nothing, as an answer, from this teams Management in addressing it. Not even in small increments.

It's almost as though they don't see it, or they are paralyzed in fear in the chance they may make another huge blunder.

These are some very basic rudimentary issues that take a bold forward thinking GM to address.

We really are getting to the point of where we need to change out the entire front office in Boston.

All of them are culpable.

Claude is the best thing this team has going for it right now.
 
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Oates2Neely

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I'd like a Cam Fowler type added in off-season. Someone who can play the left side and is comfortable with the puck on his stick. Also good in his own zone
 

Dr Quincy

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Jun 19, 2005
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How did you feel about Stan Bowman when Hawks were going

3 Toews
7 Seabrooke
1 Kane
3 barker

Would you been patient for 4 years of last place finishes as they assembled their Cup teams

I'd feel better about it if Sweeney signed a 30 year old Marian Hossa who went on to get 185 pts in his 1st 3 seasons as opposed to a 32 year old David Backes who will be lucky to get 100.
 

DKH

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Feb 27, 2002
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Simpy put, the Bruins are not a properly crafted team, and they have not been for some time now.

I have seen next to nothing, as an answer, from this teams Management in addressing it. Not even in small increments.

It's almost as though they don't see it, or they are paralyzed in fear in the chance they may make another huge blunder.

These are some very basic rudimentary issues that take a bold forward thinking GM to address.

We really are getting to the point of where we need to change out the entire front office in Boston.

All of them are culpable.

Claude is the best thing this team has going for it right now.

I took 8 championship teams from the NHL MLB NFL- I tossed in Columbus

Red Sox 2000
Yankees 1993
Cubs 2015
Steelers 1973
Cowboys 1994
Patriots 2001
Bruins 2008
Black Hawks 2006
Blue Jackets 2016

In the 3-5 years they all had last place finishes many multiple

They hung with their GM by and large other than Red Sox who bought team

Epstein gets credit for 2 of these but Duquette gets a huge assist

Bottom line Bruins fans are notoriously impatient and quick to want change

The Bruins plan is dradt and developing but I read Twitter and they focus on Jimmy Hayes and Zac Rinaldo

That's it

I voted Claude the best but they got a star in providence in Kevin Dean

Sell
Pick high
Promote Dean
Turf Hayes so we can move on
Sign Bjork McAvoy JFK

Also I saw a nice big crow while walking my dog today that's got Trent Frederic written all over it

I was so pissed when they took him I couldn't talk for 15 minutes :laugh:

Duguay glad to see you posting you're one of my all time favs
 

ODAAT

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Oct 17, 2006
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I took 8 championship teams from the NHL MLB NFL- I tossed in Columbus

Red Sox 2000
Yankees 1993
Cubs 2015
Steelers 1973
Cowboys 1994
Patriots 2001
Bruins 2008
Black Hawks 2006
Blue Jackets 2016

In the 3-5 years they all had last place finishes many multiple

They hung with their GM by and large other than Red Sox who bought team

Epstein gets credit for 2 of these but Duquette gets a huge assist

Bottom line Bruins fans are notoriously impatient and quick to want change

The Bruins plan is dradt and developing but I read Twitter and they focus on Jimmy Hayes and Zac Rinaldo

That's it

I voted Claude the best but they got a star in providence in Kevin Dean

Sell
Pick high
Promote Dean
Turf Hayes so we can move on
Sign Bjork McAvoy JFK

Also I saw a nice big crow while walking my dog today that's got Trent Frederic written all over it

I was so pissed when they took him I couldn't talk for 15 minutes :laugh:

Duguay glad to see you posting you're one of my all time favs

I`ll PM ya the sauce that works best for crow, still have a massive batch from my brilliant Marchand prediction from years back:)
 

Spooner st

Registered User
Jan 14, 2007
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Simpy put, the Bruins are not a properly crafted team, and they have not been for some time now.

I have seen next to nothing, as an answer, from this teams Management in addressing it. Not even in small increments.

It's almost as though they don't see it, or they are paralyzed in fear in the chance they may make another huge blunder.

These are some very basic rudimentary issues that take a bold forward thinking GM to address.

We really are getting to the point of where we need to change out the entire front office in Boston.

All of them are culpable.

Claude is the best thing this team has going for it right now.

BINGO we have Bingo.
 

BNHL

Registered User
Dec 22, 2006
20,023
1,466
Boston
Simpy put, the Bruins are not a properly crafted team, and they have not been for some time now.

I have seen next to nothing, as an answer, from this teams Management in addressing it. Not even in small increments.

It's almost as though they don't see it, or they are paralyzed in fear in the chance they may make another huge blunder.

These are some very basic rudimentary issues that take a bold forward thinking GM to address.

We really are getting to the point of where we need to change out the entire front office in Boston.

All of them are culpable.

Claude is the best thing this team has going for it right now.

You might have had me til this.
 

Dr Quincy

Registered User
Jun 19, 2005
29,370
11,679
I took 8 championship teams from the NHL MLB NFL- I tossed in Columbus

Red Sox 2000
Yankees 1993
Cubs 2015
Steelers 1973
Cowboys 1994
Patriots 2001
Bruins 2008
Black Hawks 2006
Blue Jackets 2016

In the 3-5 years they all had last place finishes many multiple

They hung with their GM by and large other than Red Sox who bought team

Epstein gets credit for 2 of these but Duquette gets a huge assist

Bottom line Bruins fans are notoriously impatient and quick to want change

The Bruins plan is dradt and developing but I read Twitter and they focus on Jimmy Hayes and Zac Rinaldo

That's it

I voted Claude the best but they got a star in providence in Kevin Dean

Sell
Pick high
Promote Dean
Turf Hayes so we can move on
Sign Bjork McAvoy JFK

Also I saw a nice big crow while walking my dog today that's got Trent Frederic written all over it

I was so pissed when they took him I couldn't talk for 15 minutes :laugh:

Duguay glad to see you posting you're one of my all time favs

So you took teams spanning 43 years in 3 leagues... that's about 3,655 teams, and you looked at the prior 3-5 years for each, and you found a total of 8 teams.

Congrats that is some awesome correlation Dan!
 

Spanky185

Registered User
Dec 1, 2014
1,167
378
Between BOS and NYC
Steinbrenner was reinstated from his ban in '93 but the time off mellowed him out some. Without that ban the Yankees don't become a Dynasty in the late 90s.
 
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