GM Sweeney's press conference leaves more questions than before

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Dorin Canaday
May 18, 2022 (1:42 PM)

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The Boston Bruins have many questions heading into the offseason, with the biggest one being captain Patrice Bergeron's future with the club, or in the NHL for that matter.

General manager Don Sweeney spoke to the media this morning to discuss the 2021-22 season and what his plans are for the offseason this summer. After listening to Sweeney, it feels like there are even more questions to be asked than there were before.

First, he discussed the future of Bergeron:

"We are going to give Patrice as much time as he needs. There's not a 'Let's look at Plan B, C and such' ... that might take years to replace that player ... We do have to give him all the latitude in the world to make the best decision for he and his family...he's given us indications that he's not going to hold us up in that sense in terms of what we may have to do subsequent to him making a decision. To be perfectly honest, I don't think there's a timetable on it."

I get that "Plan A" is to bring back Bergeron and sign him for even just one more season, but should you not have a backup plan? He also discussed the series against the Carolina Hurricanes and how they need to review the areas that need improvement but didn't list what needs to be improved. Does he even know?

"We're disappointed, ultimately, in how we performed throughout the series. Good pockets to it...ultimately, we're disappointed we're not playing. We have to look internally, first and foremost, at areas that we need to improve."

Sweeney has mentioned previously of the possibility of a Boston Bruins and David Krejci reunion. He was asked about that situation:

"I certainly kept in touch with David and his camp throughout the year...I'm sure at some point in time, if he decides he wants to return, then hopefully, I get a call, and we can have a conversation. But I have not gone down that path for several months."

Again, kind of an open-ended answer, in my opinion. He confirms that he kept in touch but will wait for Krejci to call him and that he hasn't even checked in on him in "several months." If there's any chance of Krejci coming back, I feel like that's something Sweeney should be on top of.

You can watch a piece of his press conference here:

I just wish Don Sweeney could articulate a real plan for the Boston Bruins. He's traded away lots of picks. The prospect pool is low in upside potential currently, besides Fabian Lysell and maybe one or two others. Bruins also have cap problems and the unknown situation of 37.

Why doesn't he have a plan? Is that too hard to ask?

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