When Don Sweeney was promoted to general manager of the Boston Bruins back in
May of 2015, the team was entering a transition phase. The Bruins had just
missed the playoffs for the first time in seven years, and with Peter Chiarelli
 already on thin ice just two years removed from the infamous Tyler Seguin
trade, it was time for a new vision at the helm.

Sweeney wasted no time making his mark on the team, trading Bruins favorite
Milan Lucic, as well as up-and-coming defenseman Dougie Hamilton, for packages
heavy on draft picks. When it was all said and done, the Bruins ended up with
three straight first-round picks in the 2015 NHL Draft.Don Sweeney';s First
Draft

It was common knowledge at the time that Sweeney was really pushing to use
those picks (13, 14 and 15) to move up in the draft to grab
Massachusetts-native Noah Hanifin. Well, he got a taste of just how difficult
being an NHL GM can be. A deal never materialized and the Bruins were forced to
 use all three picks. This draft was and continues to be one of the most
scrutinized Bruins drafts in recent history.

Jakub Zboril, Jake DeBrusk and Zachary Senyshyn were the three consecutive
picks from Sweeney. At the time, DeBrusk and Senyshyn were pegged as reaches at
 the spot Boston drafted them and it only made matters worse when all three
failed their conditioning tests that September. A rocky start indeed.Zach
Senyshyn. drafted 15th Overall by Bruins in 2015 Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY
SportsSweeney';s Growing Pains

Although the Bruins went through a mini overhaul in the offseason of 2015, fans
 still expected a playoff berth the following year, and why not? A team with a
core of Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, Brad Marchand and Tuukka Rask should be
in the playoffs.

It turns out it wasn';t enough to overcome an underwhelming defensive corps and
 the Bruins missed the playoffs for the second straight season. After just one
year at the helm, Sweeney was already in hot water in the eyes of fans due to
the disappointing 2015 draft, the signing of Matt Beleskey, oh, and trading a
second-round pick for Zac Rinaldo. Ouch.Former Bruins forward Matt Beleskey
(Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports)

Sweeney would redeem himself in the offseason, however, drafting defenseman
Charlie McAvoy 14th overall in the 2016 draft and signing free agent David
Backes to a five-year deal. In hindsight, the Backes deal doesn';t look great,
as the declining 34-year-old is set to make $6 million a year until 2021.
However, drafting McAvoy has more than made up for that. There was also growing
 buzz that Sweeney';s 2015 second-round pick Brandon Carlo was ready to step in
 and shore up the defense.Charles McAvoy Drafted 14th Overall by Bruins 2016
Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY SportsSweeney and Bruins Trending Upward

Entering the 2016-17 season, the Bruins still held playoff aspirations after
missing out the past two years. Their season started the same way the last two
did, not very well. By February the Bruins were on the outside looking in on
the playoff race, with the team seeming to lack desperation.

That';s when Sweeney made maybe his best and definitely his boldest move to
date. He fired the winningest coach in Bruins history, Claude Julien. Assistant
 coach Bruce Cassidy was promoted to interim head coach, and it immediately
paid dividends.Former Bruins head coach Claude Julien (Winslow Townson-USA
TODAY Sports)

Through the final stretch of the season, Cassidy led the team to an 18-8-1
record as well as their first playoff berth in three years. Injuries took their
 toll on the Bruins that spring and they lost to the eventual Eastern
Conference finalists Ottawa Senators in the first round. It wasn';t all
negative, however, as Bruins fans got a glimpse of their future. McAvoy was
forced to play his first six NHL games in that series due to injuries to
Brandon Carlo and Torey Krug. McAvoy was brilliant against Ottawa, giving
Boston';s D corps a bright future that looked bleak just two years prior.Bruins
 Head Coach Bruce Cassidy (Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)Bruins'; Youth Movement
in Full Swing

In the offseason of 2017, Sweeney steered clear of any trades. It was a couple
of big signings that aided the surprising season we just witnessed from Boston.
 Backup goaltender Anton Khudobin signed with the Bruins and turned in a
fantastic season, giving Tuukka Rask the adequate amount of rest he needs to be
 an elite starting goaltender. The signing of centerman Riley Nash was also a
savvy move from Sweeney. Nash stepped in and was able to play up and down the
lineup. He filled in effectively on the top line when Patrice Bergeron was
injured and put up a career-best 41 points.Former Bruins forward Riley Nash
(Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports)

Both of these signings, however, play second fiddle to the wave of youth that
stepped in and stepped up this past season. Along with McAvoy, rookies Jake
DeBrusk, Danton Heinen, Matt Grzelcyk and Sean Kuraly all earned full-time
roles with the big club and were huge contributors to Boston finishing second
in the Eastern Conference.

It was a good thing for Sweeney that all this young talent surfaced for the
Bruins because the 2015 NHL draft continues to haunt him. 2018 Calder Trophy
winner Mathew Barzal was a player Sweeney passed on three times back in 2015,
with two out of those three picks of the Bruins still struggling in the minors.
 Luckily for Sweeney, DeBrusk has helped soften the blow with his strong
performance in the 2018 playoffs. Boston became true cup contenders behind this
 surge of youth, before ultimately falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the
second round.Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk (Amy Irvin / The Hockey
Writers)Improving on the Job

There is no question that Sweeney and the Bruins have had their ups and downs
since he took over in 2015. Being a first time GM in a championship expectant
market like Boston is no easy task. It';s fair to say that Sweeney seems to
thrive in the draft and development portion of the job, over making trades and
signing free agents. The Rick Nash trade this past deadline looks to be a move
Sweeney may end up regretting, with whispers that the 34-year-old winger might
retire.Boston Bruins left wing Rick Nash (Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports)

The signings of Riley Nash and Anton Khudobin last summer show he is improving
in those areas, though. Bruins fans hope that continues this offseason, with
the signings of John Moore, Chris Wagner, Jaroslav Halak and Joakim Nordstrom.
One fact that can';t be denied is that Boston went from missing the playoffs
three years ago to becoming legitimate Stanley Cup contenders under Sweeney';s
watchful eye.

His work, however, is far from over. Boston';s youth movement has been
impressive and much needed, but the aging core of Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara
 and David Krejci cannot be overlooked. The Bruins'; window is beginning to
close, and Sweeney has a duty to reap the benefits of these special players
before their time is up.

The post Deep Dive: Sweeney';s Tenure With Bruins appeared first on The Hockey
Writers.

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheHockeyWrite...
--- SBBSecho 3.05-Win32
 * Origin: TequilaMockingbird Online - Toms River, NJ (1:266/404)