Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney inks multi-year extension
Sweeney and the Bruins fired head coach Bruce Cassidy earlier this month.
The Bruins agreed to a multi-year extension with general manager Don Sweeney on Monday, the team announced in a statement.
Citing Sweeney’s consistency in building a competitive team, Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs announced the move.
“Under [Sweeney’s] management, the Boston Bruins have been one of the winningest franchises in the league and a perennial playoff contender year in and year out,” Jacobs wrote in a statement. “While we recognize there is work to be done to achieve the ultimate goal of bringing the Stanley Cup back to Boston, I’m confident that Don’s commitment to being best-in-class on and off the ice will help us climb that mountain once again.”
Sweeney was named the NHL’s 2018-19 General Manager of the Year after helping the Bruins build a run to the Stanley Cup Final. He started as the team’s GM in 2015.
The Bruins were eliminated from the playoffs in a seven-game first-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes last season. They have made the playoffs every year since 2015.
Sweeney fired Bruce Cassidy earlier this month, a move that caught many by surprise. The Athletic reported the two disagreed on offensive philosophy. In the statement announcing the firing, Sweeney thanked Cassidy for all of his contributions to the team.
“His head coaching record for the Bruins is impressive, and we are appreciative of Bruce both professionally and personally,” Sweeney wrote. “After taking some time to fully digest everything, I felt that the direction of our team for both this season and beyond would benefit from a new voice.”