What is Bruins GM Don Sweeney’s Drafting Philosophy?

NBC Sports

Since 2015, Boston Bruins’ General Manager Don Sweeney has been drafting future Bruins, and the results have been erratic at best. The one draft that still haunts Bruins nation is the first one in 2015. The Bruins had three first-round picks (13, 14, 15) after a tough 2014-15 season and trades that sent Milan Lucic is Los Angeles and Dougie Hamilton to Calgary. Boston was set to get three impact NHL players and ended up with Jakub Zboril, Jake DeBrusk, and Zach Senyshyn.

Sweeney was hired as the general manager shortly before the draft and surprisingly reached for Senyshyn when future NHL regulars Mat Barzal, Kyle Connor, and Thomas Chabot, among others, were still available. There was redemption in 2016 when Sweeney selected Charlie McAvoy in the first round. Some say it was a no-brainer, and McAvoy fell into the lap of the Bruins, but McAvoy is a top defenseman in the league. Also, in the first round, the Bruins drafted Trent Frederic, who has contributed to the Bruins’ bottom-six, but a third-line grinder is not a hit in the first round.

Sweeney found goalie-of-the-future Jeremy Swayman in the fourth round in 2017 after taking defenseman Urho Vaakanainen in the first round and center Jack Studnicka in round two. Vaakanainen was included in the trade for Hampus Lindholm, while Studnicka is heading into a make-or-break season with the Bruins. From 2018 to 21, the Bruins have yet to see a draft pick make the roster. There is some potential there, but time will tell.

As the 2022 NHL Draft approaches, the Bruins do not have a first-round pick. Their initial selection will be 54th overall. As to what the Bruins will be looking for, that’s hard to say. Predicting what Don Sweeney’s vision is regarding drafting can be a mystery. The Bruins favored tough, physical grinders over speedy, skilled players for years. Now, it seems that the Bruins struggle with their identity. Sweeney has tried to adapt to a more puck-moving, modern style while fans and Team President Cam Neely still hold on to the old “Big Bad Bruins” mantra. When analyzing the team’s picks over the last six years, it is difficult to determine which direction the Bruins are going in.

Last draft, the Bruins selected the skillful, undersized Fabian Lysell. The year before, Boston selected a defenseman with size and some offensive skill in Mason Lohrei. In 2019, the selection was big, fast-skating forward John Beecher. In the third round each of the last two seasons, the Bruins selected centers Trevor Kuntar and Brett Harrison. Kuntar is a smaller, grinding forward, while Harrison is 6’2” with some offensive upside.

This upcoming draft will see Sweeney, who has yet to extend his contract, looking for another good prospect to add to a possible rebuild of the roster. The team is in desperate need of top-six centers. Without a first-round pick, the Bruins may not be able to find one there. But at some point, we might start to see what the identity of a new Bruins team will look like. Hopefully, it’s a defined identity, one way or another.

Season 4. Episode 38. B.C. Bruins Bruins Benders Podcast

 Join the Bruins Benders Podcast as they cover the HOTTEST topics in the Boston Bruins market, along with…- Bruins Draft Recap- How did the Bruins do on Day 1 of Free Agency?- Bruins trade for Viktor Arvidsson.- Steve Spott hired as new Assistant Coach.& Much More!Bruins Benders Premium Hoodies $55https://shop.insidetherink.com/products/get-bent-premium-hoodieBruins Benders Long Sleeve Tee $40https://shop.insidetherink.com/products/bruins-benders-long-sleeve-tee-1Bruins Benders Tee $30https://shop.insidetherink.com/products/bruins-benders-t-shirt-1For more from us, visit: insidetherink.com/bruins-bendersBoston Bruins Trade Rumors, Boston Bruins News, Boston Bruins, Jeremy Swayman, Joonas Korpisalo, Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, Nikita Zadorov, Hampus Lindholm, Mason Lohrei, Andrew Peeke, Parker Wotherspoon, Johnny Beecher, Mark Kastelic, Justin Brazeau, Cole Koepke, Trent Frederic, Matthew Poitras, Charlie Coyle, Pavel Zacha, Morgan Geekie, Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, Elias Lindholm, Oliver Wahlstrom, Fabian Lysell, Georgii Merkulov, Joe Sacco, Don Sweeney, Cam Neely, Brandon Carlo Trade#nhl #nhlbruins #hockey #bostonbruins #nhlplayoffs #bruins #nhlhockey #nhlmemes #boston #nhlallstar #nhldiscussion #nhlnews #nhledits #nhldraft #bruinsnation #nhlawards #nhltrade #hockeylife #tdgarden #nhlhighlights #bostonsports #bruinshockey #bruinsfan #nhlblackhawks #nhlglobalseries #nhlfi #nhlleafs #nhltrades #nhltradedeadline #nhlcanadiens #nhl #nhlnews #hockey #nhlhockey #nhlplayoffs #nhledits #nhldiscussion #nhlmemes #nhldraft #nhlallstar #hockeylife #hockeynews #hockeymemes #nhlhighlights #icehockey #sports #hockeyislife #nhlbruins #hockeyplayers #hockeyfan #hockeyplayer #hockeyedits #stanleycup #nhlawards #hockeygame #hockeyboys #hockeygram #hockeyfights #nhltrade #nhltrades 
  1. Season 4. Episode 38. B.C. Bruins
  2. Season 4. Episode 37. Gimme a J. Gimme a G.
  3. Season 4. Episode 36. What's Your Vector, Victor?
  4. Season 4. Episode 35. Riding the Sturm Out.
  5. Season 4. Episode 34. Marco? Polo?

Discover more from Inside The Rink

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

Montreal Canadiens Re-Sign Jakub Dobes

The Montreal Canadiens have re-signed goaltender Jakub Dobes to a two-year, one-way contract with an AAV of $965,000. This deal carries him through the 2026-27 season. Dobes played in 30 games last season, splitting his time between the Laval Rocket and Montreal Canadiens. He began the season in Laval, where he went 9-3-1 with a […]

Read More
Steve Yzerman, General Manager of the Detroit Red Wings

Yzerman: This Red Wings Team ‘Can Take a Step’

The Detroit Red Wings currently have $12.09 million in salary cap space after the team acquired goaltender John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks and acquired free agent left-winger James van Riemsdyk recently. According to general manager Steve Yzerman, the team will likely stand pat right now despite having this amount of cap space. The fact […]

Read More
Tanner Jeannot of the Los Angeles Kings

Player Profile: Tanner Jeannot

Tanner Jeannot was born on May 29, 1997, in Estevan, Saskatchewan. The left-shooting forward played for three seasons with the Estevan Bruins from 2010-13. In his first two seasons with the U15 club, Jeannot scored 29 goals and collected 18 assists in 42 games and five goals and three assists in ten postseason games. Jeannot […]

Read More