How Don Sweeney has maintained a contending roster in Boston through trades

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Dorin Canaday
February 16, 2023 (10:57)

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Don Sweeney has been General Manager in Boston since 2015 and has received perhaps too much disdain from Bruins fans throughout his tenure.

In just his second month as GM, Sweeney's entire reputation was defined at the infamous 2015 NHL Entry Draft, and not in a good way. His career may always be defined by the ''swing and miss'' on three consecutive first-round picks (13, 14 and 15), besides Jake Debrusk.

Despite his horrible first draft, he's quietly maintained a contending roster year in and year out through some sneaky good trades. Conor Ryan of Boston.com recently shared how Sweeney has complemented the Bruins core of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, David Krejci etc. over the years.

''Players like Zacha, Charlie Coyle, Hampus Lindholm, and Taylor Hall have all played major roles on this 40-8-5 Bruins squad. And with all four locked into long-term deals, they figure to be part of the next foundation in the inevitable post-Bergeron era.

And to acquire those four mainstays, Sweeney only had to surrender:

Erik Haula
Ryan Donato
Anders Bjork
Urho Vaakanainen
John Moore
One first-round pick
Three second-round picks
One fourth-round pick''

Say what you want about him, but as Ryan noted, not only has Sweeney given up next to nothing for four major pieces of this current team, but all are signed to long-term deals at tremendous value.

The Bruins have also pulled off some of the biggest Trade Deadline deals when he acquired Taylor Hall and Hampus Lindholm in consecutive seasons. Can he do it again?

SOURCE: Conor Ryan, Boston.com, Pavel Zacha is looking more and more like a steal for the Bruins.