Giving Don a crack at the rebuild.
Don Sweeney is no longer a lame duck!
The Bruins announced this morning that the team and their general manager have agreed to a two-year extension of his contract, which will have him on the books through the 2027-2028 season.
Sweeney’s prior deal was up at the conclusion of the 2025-2026 season, and questions about his status at the end-of-season media availability were kind of brushed aside.
Instead of heading into his final season and seeing how things go, the team has elected to give Sweeney a vote of confidence.
Sweeney has been the Bruins’ general manager for a decade now, with this summer being the first time he’s really been tasked for overseeing a rebuild (retool, if you’re being generous).
The two big items currently on the to-do list: hiring a new head coach and the upcoming NHL Draft, which will see the Bruins pick at their highest position in recent memory.
From the team’s press release:
“Don has navigated a disappointing period for our club with conviction, purpose, and a clear vision toward the future of the Boston Bruins,” said Bruins President Cam Neely. “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.”
While Sweeney has his flaws as a GM, the extension seems like a logical course of action.
If you’re going to let Sweeney oversee the trade deadline teardown, lead the coaching search, and make the aforementioned top-ten pick, you might as well keep him around for a couple more years to see it through, right?
Big decisions to come, though.