On Tuesday, Don Sweeney agreed to a two-year deal that will keep him as general manager of the Boston Bruins through the 2027–2028 campaign.
After being hired on May 20, 2015, the 58-year-old finished his tenth season. During Sweeney’s tenure, the Bruins finished 458-233-91, with 1,007 points and a.644 points percentage that tied for the NHL’s best during that time.
“I am very appreciative to (owner) Charlie (Jacobs), the entire Jacobs family, and to (president) Cam (Neely) for their continued trust and support,” Sweeney stated. Being a part of a franchise with such a rich history and ardent fan following is an honour. 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.”
The Bruins have qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for all but two seasons under Sweeney and reached Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, a 4-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues. They went 33-39-10 this season, finishing last in the Atlantic Division, and have not advanced beyond the second round since 2019.
Coach Jim Montgomery was fired Nov. 19. Joe Sacco was 25-30-7 as interim coach.
“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. “As we plan a route back to contention, he made tough choices around the trade deadline with the assurance that they would be beneficial. He is staying on course by conducting a thorough and active search for our team’s next head coach. He is also getting ready for the NHL Draft and the free agent signing window.
“I am thrilled for our team’s future and have faith in the strategy he has been following these past few months. Boston has always had clear expectations. It’s all about taking home titles.
Sweeney won the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award in 2019 and was GM of Canada for its win at the 4 Nations Face-Off. He will be an assistant to Canada GM Doug Armstrong (Blues) for the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics next February.
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