Don Sweeney won’t enter a lame duck year as Boston’s general manager.
The Bruins have given Sweeney a two-year extension through the 2027-28 season, the team announced Tuesday morning. Sweeney has been Boston’s general manager since 2015, but would have entered the final season of his current contract this fall.
“Don has navigated a disappointing period for our club with conviction, purpose, and a clear vision toward the future of the Boston Bruins,” team president Cam Neely said in a statement. “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.”
In Sweeney’s 10 seasons as general manager, the Bruins have made the playoffs eight times, reaching the Stanley Cup Final once in 2018-19 before losing to the St. Louis Blues. The team bottomed out last season, selling at the trade deadline and plummeting to last place in the Atlantic Division.
It’s a critical offseason as the Bruins seek to find a head coach and retool their roster.
They own the No. 7 overall pick in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft — their highest selection since taking Tyler Seguin in 2010 — and currently have more than $28 million in salary cap space.
Sweeney was predictably pleased to have more term added to his contract.
“I am very appreciative to Charlie (Jacobs), the entire Jacobs family, and to Cam for their continued trust and support,” Sweeney said. “It’s an honor to be part of a franchise with such a storied history and passionate fanbase. 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.”
