Latest news with #DonSweeney
New York Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Mitch Love and Marco Sturm are finalists for Bruins coaching position: Source
Washington Capitals assistant coach Mitch Love and Ontario Reign head coach Marco Sturm are finalists for the Boston Bruins head coaching position, a league source granted anonymity to discuss conversations regarding hockey operations personnel told The Athletic. The Bruins are holding in-person interviews in Boston this week after conducting a preliminary round of phone and Zoom conversations. Advertisement Love, 40, just concluded his second season as one of Spencer Carbery's assistants. Carbery interviewed for the Bruins position in 2022 that was filled by Jim Montgomery. Before Washington, Love was the AHL head coach for the Stockton Heat and Calgary Wranglers, the Calgary Flames' affiliates. Sturm, 46, just finished his third season leading the Reign, the Los Angeles Kings' AHL club. He was a Kings assistant for the four previous seasons. Sturm logged 302 career games for the Bruins after arriving from the San Jose Sharks in the Joe Thornton blockbuster. That Love and Sturm have advanced to in-person interviews signals how the Bruins are thinking about the position. Neither has NHL head coaching experience. Sturm was a finalist last year with the Sharks, who hired Ryan Warsofsky. Love may be under consideration by the Pittsburgh Penguins and Seattle Kraken, the other clubs with vacancies. General manager Don Sweeney has said that NHL head coaching experience is not a requirement. He may be looking for a younger coach who can grow into the position as the Bruins rebuild. Love has been in charge of Washington's defense. The Capitals allowed 2.79 goals per game in 2024-25, eighth-lowest in the NHL. Sturm trained under the Kings' philosophy of defensive-zone structure and airtight goaltending under Todd McLellan, John Stevens and Willie Desjardins, the head coaches during his time in L.A. Love and Sturm have been in development positions in the AHL. Before being hired by the Flames, Love was the head coach for the WHL's Saskatoon Blades. 'Evolve offensively, especially with younger players, and integrate them,' Sweeney said in his year-ending news conference about the qualities he's pursuing. 'But if you don't defend in the National Hockey League, you don't have sustained success.' Other finalists are unknown. Sweeney noted earlier this offseason that interim coach Joe Sacco would be part of a final group of coaches. (Photo of Marco Sturm: Andrew D. Bernstein / Getty Images)
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
'It's about winning championships', Bruins President comments on Don Sweeney being signed on as the new General Manager
Don Sweeney It was recently announced that Don Sweeney signed a contract that made him the general manager of the Boston Bruins . The 58-year-old will serve the role through the 2027-2028 season. This marks the completion of a decade for Sweeney as a general manager. In the course of ten seasons, he has built teams that have made it to the playoffs eight times. He also helped a team advance to the Stanley Cup Final in 2019. Don Sweeney signed on as the Boston Bruins' general manager This contract comes after Sweeney made his mark in the industry and earned many accolades. Among them was the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award in 2019. The big move came after the Boston Bruins missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016. While making a comment on being signed on with the Boston Bruins, Sweeney said, "I am very appreciative to (owner) Charlie (Jacobs), the entire Jacobs family, and to (president) Cam (Neely) for their continued trust and support. It's an honour to be part of a franchise with such a storied history and passionate fan base. I fully understand and embrace the responsibility that comes with this role. Our fans have high expectations for this team, and so do I. The collective goal is to build a team that makes Bruins fans proud and ultimately brings another Stanley Cup back to Boston." At the same time, Cam Neely , the President of the Boston Bruins shared, "Don has navigated a disappointing period for our club with conviction, purpose, and a clear vision toward the future of the Boston Bruins. He made difficult decisions around the trade deadline with the confidence they will pay dividends as we craft a path back to contention. He is continuing to follow that track with a robust and thorough search for our club's next head coach, while also preparing for the upcoming NHL Draft and free agent signing period." Also Read: "We deserve much more", how the Boston Bruins can rebuild and return stronger in 2025-26 Neely also added, "I am confident in the plan he has followed these past few months -- and excited for what's to come for our team. The expectations in Boston have always been clear. It's about winning championships." Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
New York Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
What does Bruins' Don Sweeney extension mean? Faith in aggressive moves to come
The Boston Bruins did not sign Don Sweeney to a two-year extension to reward him for a decade of good service. On Tuesday, 10 years to the day since they hired him as GM, the Bruins signed Sweeney through 2028 to repeat how he's acted at earlier critical moments. To be aggressive. Sweeney is a diligent and thorough executive. His methodical coaching search aligns with how he operates. Locking in his own deal should settle the nerves of any candidate concerned about his future boss' job security. Advertisement But when Sweeney believes the time is right, he proceeds boldly and fearlessly. Consider the previous instances: 1. Trading five roster players ahead of the 2025 deadline. Sweeney could have executed targeted transactions to reshape the roster. Instead, with futures and a high 2025 first-round pick in mind, Sweeney moved Justin Brazeau, Brandon Carlo, Charlie Coyle, Trent Frederic and Brad Marchand. He also traded Max Jones, who was in AHL Providence at the time. Sweeney dealt interim coach Joe Sacco a bad hand by lopping off so much varsity experience for Marat Khusnutdinov, Jakub Lauko and Casey Mittelstadt, the NHLers he received in return. But Sweeney considered it necessary discomfort to accelerate the turnaround. Other assets accumulated in the selloff include Fraser Minten, Will Zellers, two 2025 second-rounders, a 2026 first-rounder and what will most likely be a 2027 or 2028 first-round selection based on how many more appearances Marchand makes in the Florida Panthers' playoff run. 2. Firing Jim Montgomery. Sweeney had a good relationship with Montgomery, whom he hired in 2022. Montgomery led a record-setting roster in 2022-23 and got the Bruins to the second round in 2023-24. He communicated well with his players. He devised good game plans, emphasizing net-front coverage and high-quality offense. But when Montgomery could neither maximize his players' output nor uncover solutions for the first 20 games of 2024-25, Sweeney saw no choice but to dismiss the 2023 Coach of the Year. 3. Acquiring Dmitry Orlov, Garnet Hathaway and Tyler Bertuzzi. The 2022-23 Bruins were rolling. They were deep at every position. Sweeney was not satisfied. He got a do-it-all defenseman in Orlov and a fourth-line headache in Hathaway. When Taylor Hall hurt his knee before the deadline, Sweeney secured insurance in Bertuzzi. All three were rentals. They did not come cheap: a 2023 first-rounder, 2024 first-rounder, 2025 second-rounder. All three walked at year's end after the Bruins lost to the Panthers in Round 1. Advertisement 4. Firing Bruce Cassidy. Sweeney and Cassidy had built deep ties. When he was assistant GM and director of player development, Sweeney dealt regularly with Cassidy, formerly Providence's head coach. Sweeney believed in Cassidy to succeed Claude Julien in 2017 and help the Bruins progress. Cassidy rewarded Sweeney's faith. He coached the Bruins to six straight playoff appearances. The Bruins lost to the St. Louis Blues in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2019. Cassidy helped Marchand grow into one of the NHL's top all-around left wings, Patrice Bergeron evolve from a defense-first center to an offensive presence and David Pastrnak become an offensive gamebreaker. But Sweeney concluded that Cassidy's approach had grown too hard on the players. The GM was correct. Players like Carlo and Frederic, who did not appreciate Cassidy's firmness, took forward steps under Montgomery. 5. Trading Dougie Hamilton and Milan Lucic. When Sweeney replaced Peter Chiarelli in 2015, he took over a roster with two players at critical junctures: Hamilton, the No. 9 pick in 2011, and Lucic, the franchise's singular power forward. Hamilton wanted to be traded. Lucic had one year left on his deal. Sweeney identified moving the two as his most efficient route for initiating a revival. Trading Hamilton and Lucic netted Sweeney a haul: two 2015 first-rounders, two 2015 second-rounders, Martin Jones and Colin Miller. This gave the Bruins the 13th, 14th and 15th picks in 2015. What happened next to the first-year GM produced scars that still remain. He could not move up for an opportunity to draft Noah Hanifin, Zach Werenski or Ivan Provorov. Instead, the Bruins picked Jakub Zboril, Jake DeBrusk and Zach Senyshyn, none of whom are still with the club. They left Mat Barzal, Kyle Connor, Thomas Chabot, Joel Eriksson Ek, Brock Boeser and Travis Konecny on the table. Advertisement So what does the extension mean? Largely, it was a formality. CEO Charlie Jacobs and president Cam Neely would not have changed course after Sweeney cut wide and deep before the deadline. Sweeney has advanced to the next stage of the rebuild: adding, not subtracting. To fulfill this segment, history says Sweeney will not hold back considering the urgency of the situation. He will have free rein to spend to the $95.5 million ceiling in 2025-26. If he wants a dynamic addition, Mitch Marner is waiting to become the NHL's highest-paid player. If he views an offer sheet as a mechanism to quicken the rebuild and weaken a rival, signing Matthew Knies would check both boxes. The extension does not alter Sweeney's plan. It hints at what is to come: a daring step forward.
CBS News
20-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Bruins sign general manager Don Sweeney to two-year contract extension
Despite missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016, the Boston Bruins have signed general manager Don Sweeney to a two-year contract extension. The deal was announced Tuesday, and will keep Sweeney in Boston through the 2027-28 season. Sweeney was heading into the final year of his contract with the club, but Bruins president Cam Neely expressed confidence that Sweeney will be able to turn the organization around after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign. "Don has navigated a disappointing period for our club with conviction, purpose, and a clear vision toward the future of the Boston Bruins," Neely said in Tuesday's announcement. "He made difficult decisions around the trade deadline with the confidence they will pay dividends as we craft a path back to contention. He is continuing to follow that track with a robust and thorough search for our club's next head coach, while also preparing for the upcoming NHL Draft and free agent signing period. I am confident in the plan he has followed these past few months – and excited for what's to come for our team. The expectations in Boston have always been clear. It's about winning championships." Boston fired head coach Jim Montgomery early in the regular season, and finished the year with a 33-39-10 record as Joe Sacco held down the bench on an interim basis. It was clear the Bruins were going to fall out of postseason contention ahead of the NHL trade deadline, which is when Sweeney traded away veterans like team captain Brad Marchand, defenseman Brandon Carlo, and winger Charlie Coyle to build up Boston's assets in upcoming NHL drafts. Don Sweeney with the Boston Bruins Sweeney spent 15 of his 16 seasons as an NHL defenseman with the Bruins, and has been Boston's GM since 2015. He was the NHL's General Manager of the Year in 2018-19, when Boston made its last run to the Stanley Cup Final. "I am very appreciative to Charlie, the entire Jacobs family, and to Cam for their continued trust and support," Sweeney said Tuesday. "It's an honor to be part of a franchise with such a storied history and passionate fanbase. I fully understand and embrace the responsibility that comes with this role. Our fans have high expectations for this team, and so do I. The collective goal is to build a team that makes Bruins fans proud and ultimately brings another Stanley Cup back to Boston." While Sweeney did well picking up future assets at last season's trade deadline, he's come under fire for several draft miscues and failed free-agent signings since taking over. He's got an important pick to make in the upcoming NHL Draft, as Boston possesses the No. 7 overall pick on June 27. Sweeney also has to find a new head coach, a process which is ongoing and could run through the rest of the NHL postseason.
National Post
20-05-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Bruins give GM Don Sweeney a 2-year extension to lead rebuild after first playoff miss since 2016
The Boston Bruins have signed general manager Don Sweeney to a two-year contract extension, trusting him to rebuild the roster after the team missed the playoffs this season for the first time since 2016. Article content Article content The move comes a month after team president Cam Neely said he needed to think about whether to keep Sweeney around after a decade in which the Bruins have seen unprecedented regular-season success followed largely by playoff flops. Sweeney fired coach Jim Montgomery, who led Boston to NHL records of 65 wins and 135 points in 2022-23, in November, then sold off the roster at the trade deadline when it failed to respond under interim Joe Sacco. Article content Article content 'Don has navigated a disappointing period for our club with conviction, purpose, and a clear vision toward the future of the Boston Bruins,' Neely said. 'He made difficult decisions around the trade deadline with the confidence they will pay dividends as we craft a path back to contention.' Article content In 10 seasons under Sweeney, the Bruins have a 458-233-91 regular-season record, with eight playoff berths. The team's 1,007 points and .644 point percentage are tied for the best in the NHL in that period. Article content But the Bruins have made it past the second round of the playoffs just once in Sweeney's tenure, reaching the Stanley Cup final in 2019 under Bruce Cassidy. Cassidy was fired three years later and then took the Vegas Golden Knights to the Cup championship in his first season there. Article content Montgomery replaced him in Boston and won 112 games in two years, but just one playoff series. He was fired 20 games into this season, and with the team unable to challenge for a playoff berth Sweeney traded captain Brad Marchand — the last remaining player from the 2011 championship — in a roster purge that signaled the end of the franchise's most successful era since Bobby Orr laced up his skates in the old Boston Garden. Article content Neely said Sweeney has been searching for a new coach while also preparing for the draft. Article content 'I am confident in the plan he has followed these past few months — and excited for what's to come for our team,' the former Bruins forward said of the former Bruins defenseman. 'The expectations in Boston have always been clear. It's about winning championships.' Article content A veteran of 16 seasons in the NHL, all but one of them in Boston, Sweeney took over the Original Six franchise's front office in 2015 and was given the league's General Manager of the Year Award in 2019 after the Bruins reached the Stanley Cup Final. He has also served as GM for Team Canada in its 4 Nations Face-Off victory this winter, and will serve as the country's assistant GM for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. Article content 'It's an honor to be part of a franchise with such a storied history and passionate fanbase,' Sweeney said. 'I fully understand and embrace the responsibility that comes with this role. Our fans have high expectations for this team, and so do I. The collective goal is to build a team that makes Bruins fans proud and ultimately brings another Stanley Cup back to Boston.'
