It’s the annual “Grade the Deadline” Poll

[Mr. Make-Believe]

Full ins and outs (I hope)

Out:
Brad Marchand
Charlie Coyle
Brandon Carlo
Justin Brazeau
Trent Frederic
Max Jones
Marc McLaughlin

2026 5th

In:
Casey Mittelstadt
Marat Khusnutdinov
Henri Jokiharu
Jakub Lauko

William Zellers
Fraser Minten
Max Wanker
Daniil Misyul

2026 1st
2025 2nd
2025 2nd
2027 2nd OR 2028 1st
2025 4th
2026 6th

 

[Gee Wally]

A-
He saw his duty and he done it.

 

[McGarnagle]

My grade:

 

[Bruin4]

I really like what Sweeney did, big question will be how Fraser Minten and William Zellers pan out. Love the fact that he added future assets in picks and the leafs 2026 in a deep draft year, plus he got some depth NHLers. Losing Marchy was tough, but when he's out for nearly the rest of the regular season and your not coming to a contract agreement, I think he got a fair return.

I have to say. I think he won every trade except for the Marchand deal, but again his hands were tied, so his final grade is a B+

 

[NDiesel]

A- personally. Would have liked more for Marchand but tough to nitpick them respecting which destination he wanted to go to

 

[Yeti34]

F for trading Marchand for a 2nd.

The Carlo deal is good

The Coyle deal was great.

Trading Marchy ruins it for me

 

[Acie]

In:
Casey Middlestadt
Marat Khusnutdinov
Henri Jokiharu
Jakub Lauko

William Zellers
Fraser Minten
Max Wanker
Daniil Misyul

 

[DiggityDog]

A-

Made tough but necessary decisions.

 

[McBrom7]

B

Would have been an A if not for the Marchand deal. I understand he's respecting Marchand's wishes, but that return is not enough given the context of the other deals this week and the destination he went too.

I loved all the other deals. The fact he got what he did for Brazeau was very surprising. If not for nothing, he picked a direction for the team and followed through on it. Many believed this was the correct direction.

I'm going to miss Brad Marchand. It really feels like I'm mourning the end of an era.

Now bring me Michael Misa.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

A+ without Marchand and Jokiharu trades in my mind.

Not sure why waste a pick but it seems to be a Sweeney flaws, he has to find that next Reilly (also a failed experiment). This one is a free agent after the remainder of a season that will indicate nothing about anything due to quality of coaches and roster.

Marchand trade I've said my piece but his legacy will be tarnished with a career ending with that cowardly team. Best hope is he finds a new home in the summer. All for a very late 2nd round or 1st round pick we hope becomes Beecher in 10 years.

The rest of the trades were fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. Sweeney did his best work.

Now fire him and find another GM to do the drafting and rebuild.

 

[PB37]

I voted A

Great value all across the board. I would have liked more for Marchand but I understand why this was the best they could get.

I'm excited to see what Khusnutdinov and Minten can do. I think Mittelstadt will surprise people.

 

[bruinsfan1970]

I gave him an A+.

 

[SPLBRUIN]

He gets an A for me, cut bait with underachieving players with term like Coyle and Carlo and got great value. I also think he did really well with the Frederic and Brazeau trades, only the Marchand trade was a little disappointing but his injury really cut into his value, just bad luck.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

It’s a tough one for me. I hate how they handled Marchand this season and it culminated in a terrible trade and a boot out the door. Atrocious.

The Coyle trade I’m on the fence about. Not the value (which was excellent). But because I don’t know how I feel about Mittelstadt and am concerned he’s going to make us long for a cheaper, better, signed-for-shorter-term Charlie Coyle. I’m not saying Coyle is better… but I’m concerned that he may be. I wanted the cap space more than the player. But if Mittelstadt is great? Then it’s a massive win.

Brazeau deal? Out of the park.
Carlo deal? Out of the park.
Frederic deal? Solid double.

Overall they added two prospects to their top five and arguably 4 to their top ten. And four premium picks over the next three seasons. And some other stuff. The roster required some turn… and we can officially consider it turned. By doing it all at the deadline, Sweeney maximized his return. It’s good work.

But the Marchand trade casts a shadow on it for me and I’m too emotionally reactive to give a fair grade tonight.

 

[Jorah Marshmont]

A.
Would have been an A+ but I’m not a fan of the jokiharju trade and a bit underwhelmed with the Marchy return. But he’s pretty badly injured apparently, if he doesn’t play again this season it’s basically a free 2nd.
The Coyle and Braz deals were highway robbery.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

I wasn’t sure anyone was going to notice.

Things I do to amuse myself.

 

[GHFC79]

Considering Marchand won't play for at least 3/4 weeks, it's an A+

 

[Jorah Marshmont]

Full ins and outs (I hope)

Out:
Brad Marchand
Charlie Coyle
Brandon Carlo
Justin Brazeau
Trent Frederic
Max Jones
Marc McLaughlin

In:
Casey Middlestadt
Marat Khusnutdinov
Henri Jokiharu
Jakub Lauko

William Zellers
Fraser Minten
Max Wanker
Daniil Misyul

2026 1st
2025 2nd
2025 2nd
2027 2nd OR 2028 1st
2026 4th
2026 6th

They got a 2025 4th rounder in the Carlo deal as well

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

I don’t know how a 4th round pick out the door for an NHL player can really affect the grade. It’s such a non factor in the scope of it.

I think one thing is very clear - management was not happy with the leadership group this year, and they took a hatchet to it. I agree with them on that front, regardless of return.

I think it’s not good that we really didn’t open up cap space with all this. But I like some of the pieces here and there.

And Marchand is my favorite player of all time. I would have bought a Marchand jersey immediately if he went to any of 28 Other teams. Alas…

I’ll give it a B-/C+

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

They got a 2025 4th rounder in the Carlo deal as well

Good catch. I put the wrong year in. And I forgot the 5th to the Avs

 

[KastelicKrew47]

A-

LOVED the Coyle trade. Don't think anyone couldn't!

Really hope we can use the cap wisely next year. But keep some space for the following year.

Perfect time for Jack Eichel to come home!! Should have a roster to compete by then.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

I don’t know how a 4th round pick out the door for an NHL player can really affect the grade. It’s such a non factor in the scope of it.

I think one thing is very clear - management was not happy with the leadership group this year, and they took a hatchet to it. I agree with them on that front, regardless of return.

I think it’s not good that we really didn’t open up cap space with all this. But I like some of the pieces here and there.

And Marchand is my favorite player of all time. I would have bought a Marchand jersey immediately if he went to any of 28 Other teams. Alas…

I’ll give it a B-/C+

Heinen was a 4th round pick among many others.

For a team desperately needing to make its prospect pool relevant why throw it away on a player like Jokiharu who will be UFA in a few games without anyway to accurately analyze anything the rest of this season? The coaches are awful, the roster is awful.

Just hand him a 3 year extension to save face on the trade as Sweeney did with Reilly? It should be a factor in the grade as it shows Sweeney never learns from his mistakes.

Jokiharu is 26 years old, soft, average size (if average is 6' for defensemen these days). Simply a very odd trade. A symptom of Sweeney's classic thinking he is the smartest in the room.

Need a new GM to handle this rebuild.

 

[SPV]

I think it was a good haul to get rid of guys that won’t help in the next year to five years. I would have liked more for Marchand, but I think his injury really messed things up

 

[LouJersey]

A-

Masterful job by the management group. The fact I don't have to watch Coyle and Carlo anymore should make it an A+ but it sounds like the Bruins wouldn't ante up contract wise to Brad's liking.

Something was clearly amiss with the leadership this year, but don't get me wrong the talent level was not very good, and that shocked me. Injuries didn't help. Sweeney was patient (maybe to a fault on Marchand, him healthy would have been a better return) but I applaud him for going nuclear at this point in time. This group did not deserve to stick around together anymore. I look forward to a new era of Bruins hockey.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

Heinen was a 4th round pick among many others.

For a team desperately needing to make it's prospect pool relevant why throw it away on a player like Jokiharu who will be UFA in a few games without anyway to accurately analyze anything the rest of this season? The coaches are awful, the roster is awful.

Just hand him a 3 year extension to save face on the trade as Sweeney did with Reilly? It should be a factor in the grade as it shows Sweeney never learns from his mistakes.

Need a new GM to handle this rebuild.

I think they needed to fill out their NHL roster and they want to see if Jokiharu could potentially be a fit.

Fills a need and allows for an audition. The fourth was just acquired. Small price to pay.