Management Don Sweeney

[Dr Quincy]

Sweeney isn't as bad as his critics say, nor as good as his fans think.

Give him the Harvard Gentleman's B

 

[TCB]

Yup.
in 2015 he inherited
- 2 HoFs/B's greats Z and Bergie (in their prime)
- 2 borderline HoFs Marchand and Rask (in their prime)
- 1 Great B Krejci (in his prime)
- 1 rookie future HoF Pasta
- 3 first round picks in a deep draft
Since then, they've been 0 for Stanley Cups and being in a division with MTL, BUF, OTT and DET. They did run into a juggernaut in TB. That's bad timing.

Oh and people forget about last year. Yes they were great. Only because Bergeron and Krecji showed up on his front step, wrapped in bows. In any other situation, he wouldn't have been able to sign them and last years team would look like this years team.

I do give him credit for Ullmark signing, Going all in last year, Carlo and Swayman picks. Maybe/possibly Lohrei and Potrois. McAvoy was a layup.

You were to kind. You missed all the bad signings and trading away 1st round picks to dump them and a portion of their salary, but those were the early years, he’s been much much better the last couple of years. Which is good news because Sweeney wants to win and I think he won’t sit back, hopefully more of the good is to come.

 

[TCB]

Sweeney isn't as bad as his critics say, nor as good as his fans think.

Give him the Harvard Gentleman's B

B fair as long as your giving him his regular season grade

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

B fair as long as your giving him his regular season grade

Since he became GM he has the most regular season wins. Number 1. I would call that an A.

Now the playoff record is another grade less than that.

 

[ODAAT]

I found his first few years to be a bit wonky but he`s consistently signed or re-signed players to deals that allow the B`s to make other moves and it`s pretty clear that he goes for it as best as he is able to each year

I think if I had a complaint it`s the lack of grit and physicality he`s got on the roster

He`d be unemployed for about a dozen seconds if and when he`s fired by the B`s at some point

 

[Dr Hook]

I found his first few years to be a bit wonky but he`s consistently signed or re-signed players to deals that allow the B`s to make other moves and it`s pretty clear that he goes for it as best as he is able to each year

I think if I had a complaint it`s the lack of grit and physicality he`s got on the roster

He`d be unemployed for about a dozen seconds if and when he`s fired by the B`s at some point

I've heard it said, in a different sports context, that it takes a GM/Manager about 5 years to really put their stamp on a team where most of the players- regulars and prospects- coaching staff etc- are their selections. Sweeney is in the spot now for sure, where 9 seasons in and this is almost 100% his team. We'll see where it goes over the next few years.

 

[UncleRico]

I've heard it said, in a different sports context, that it takes a GM/Manager about 5 years to really put their stamp on a team where most of the players- regulars and prospects- coaching staff etc- are their selections. Sweeney is in the spot now for sure, where 9 seasons in and this is almost 100% his team. We'll see where it goes over the next few years.

There’s only 8 active GMs in the league who have had tenures longer than 5 years. It’s becoming a shorter and shorter shelf life.

 

[Dr Hook]

There’s only 8 active GMs in the league who have had tenures longer than 5 years. It’s becoming a shorter and shorter shelf life.

It is, and I was thinking about that as I was posting: the pressure to get results and resulting early sackings (i.e. under 5 years) are a great way to create a continuous cycle of failure.

 

[LouJersey]

So the GM with 7 series wins in 9 seasons is better than the GM with 10 series win and a Stanley Cup win in the same amount of seasons?

 

[Blowfish]

Love our GM. F ups are few. That being Nash trade and 2015 draft.

 

[BlackFrancis]

So the GM with 7 series wins in 9 seasons is better than the GM with 10 series win and a Stanley Cup win in the same amount of seasons?

You have to define "better" if you're going for something meaningful.

Sweeney's early body of work was kind of not great while Chiarelli's efforts after getting the axe were straight up horrifying.

Sweeney has ridden the turbulence of the league pulling a blink-and-you'll-miss-it paradigm change. While he's been GM, league scoring is up nearly 20%, SV% has gone completely into the Habs logo. Fighting has largely disappeared. I think hits are up, but that is probably because of the way the NHL has credited hits now.

It's a very different league than the one he got hired into.

Chiarelli's tenure was better. He won a Cup. In some ways, it's like Claude's time here - he brought home Cup, but he's also the coach who played Marchand on the 2nd PP and only a minute of PK time in 2013.

 

[UncleRico]

So the GM with 7 series wins in 9 seasons is better than the GM with 10 series win and a Stanley Cup win in the same amount of seasons?

Don’t forget Sweeney inherited a much better team. Chiarelli inherited a 74 win team. Sweeney inherited a 96 point team that set an nhl record for most points in league history to miss the playoffs.

Chiarelli turned a significantly worse team around and had a more successful stint. That portion often gets overlooked.

 

[JoeIsAStud]

Don’t forget Sweeney inherited a much better team. Chiarelli inherited a 74 win team. Sweeney inherited a 96 point team that set an nhl record for most points in league history to miss the playoffs.

Chiarelli turned a significantly worse team around and had a more successful stint. That portion often gets overlooked.

Chiarelli inherited a 21 year old hall of fame center, and a second center who should get his number in the rafters who was 20. They were both approaching 30 when Sweeney took over

 

[UncleRico]

Chiarelli inherited a 21 year old hall of fame center, and a second center who should get his number in the rafters who was 20. They were both approaching 30 when Sweeney took over

Don Sweeney inherited a 30 year old bergy, 29 year old krejci, 27 year old Marchand and pastrnak.

He inherited a line that was given the title the perfection line and a 29 year old 2nd line center that will be in the bruins hall of fame.

Really tough sledding there for Sweeney. Nevermind inheriting Chara who was still in norris conversations.

 

[chizzler]

All GM’s inherit players.

 

[PB37]

Don Sweeney inherited a 30 year old bergy, 29 year old krejci, 27 year old Marchand and pastrnak.

He inherited a line that was given the title the perfection line and a 29 year old 2nd line center that will be in the bruins hall of fame.

Really tough sledding there for Sweeney. Nevermind inheriting Chara who was still in norris conversations.

Perfection wasn't formed in 2015. They didn't start getting serious time together until 2016/2017

Chara didn't receive Norris votes 2014/2015 to 2016/2017. He got some pity votes in 2017-2020, but those were more lifetime achievement votes than actually being in Norris conversations

 

[UncleRico]

Perfection wasn't formed in 2015. They didn't start getting serious time together until 2016/2017

Chara didn't receive Norris votes 2014/2015 to 2016/2017. He got some pity votes in 2017-2020, but those were more lifetime achievement votes than actually being in Norris conversations

Ok but regardless if the perfection line waited a year to form Sweeney still inherited that group of guys did he not?

He didn’t bring those guys in.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

Ok but regardless if the perfection line waited a year to form Sweeney still inherited that group of guys did he not?

He didn’t bring those guys in.

#FireSweeney

 

[UncleRico]

#FireSweeney

#BlameEveryCoach

 

[PB37]

Ok but regardless if the perfection line waited a year to form Sweeney still inherited that group of guys did he not?

He didn’t bring those guys in.

No, he did not inherit Pasta. Sweeney wasn't a GM that was sourced from outside the organization. He was 100 percent involved in Pasta, from scouting to helping make the final decision.

 

[UncleRico]

No, he did not inherit Pasta. Sweeney wasn't a GM that was sourced from outside the organization. He was 100 percent involved in Pasta, from scouting to helping make the final decision.

Lmao alright ya let’s thank Don Sweeney for pasta. Hell let’s thank Don Sweeney for signing chara too while we are at it.

Let’s thank him for also drafting seguin, but not trading him.

 

[EverettMike]

All GM’s inherit players.

Going to look into this but it sounds right?

 

[Aussie Bruin]

You have to define "better" if you're going for something meaningful.

Sweeney's early body of work was kind of not great while Chiarelli's efforts after getting the axe were straight up horrifying.

Sweeney has ridden the turbulence of the league pulling a blink-and-you'll-miss-it paradigm change. While he's been GM, league scoring is up nearly 20%, SV% has gone completely into the Habs logo. Fighting has largely disappeared. I think hits are up, but that is probably because of the way the NHL has credited hits now.

It's a very different league than the one he got hired into.

Chiarelli's tenure was better. He won a Cup. In some ways, it's like Claude's time here - he brought home Cup, but he's also the coach who played Marchand on the 2nd PP and only a minute of PK time in 2013.

I think it can be summed up by saying that Chiarelli had a higher peak, but then burned out bad, whereas Sweeney has never hit that same level, albeit gone close a couple of times, but has shown much greater consistency and ability to manage change and on the whole improve as he's gone along.

Don's a very talented GM who like most still seems to have a couple of flaws or blind spots but overall is solid. Sometimes solid is enough. But often you need some extra flair or a bit of genius, plus luck, to put your team over the top. Still not entirely sure he has that in him.

 

[Number8]

Love our GM. F ups are few. That being Nash trade and 2015 draft.

I loved the Nash trade at the time. Hindsight is 20/20 on the concussion thing I know, but Nash looked lethal to me once he came over. Sadly we know how it ended.

 

[Raleighfern]

i believe the record will show Chiarelli inherited bergy, krejci, rasks rights, Chara, marchy, lucic, tim thomas, pj axelsson and maybe a few others.
they all inherit guys.