When you mention the name Don Sweeney, well, you'll get a lot of different reactions from Boston Bruins fans. Some will be positive, but most will likely be negative. I know that surprises a lot of people.
However, the case can be made that Sweeney has done some really good things during his tenure with the Black and Gold as general manager, and maybe some not-so-great things. You can point the finger at several areas on both fronts.
When it comes to handing out contracts, you could say that he has made some great investments and some, well, not so great investments. It's the nature of the job. Everyone does it. However, Sweeney might not do it as much as some fans think he does. Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic ranked each NHL team in terms of efficiency, and the Bruins were not as bad as some might think they are.
Bruins receive a higher grade than some think in terms of contract efficiency
Don't look now, but some of Sweeney's moves are not as bad as they have once seemed, according to Luszczyszyn. No, really. He gave Sweeney and the Bruins a "B" in terms of contract efficiency, which was 18th, but up seven spots from this time last season when they were 25th.
"Thankfully, they have David Pastrnak and Jeremy Swayman locked up for a long time. The two are among the best at their positions and making a lot less than they should. It would be great if the Bruins could build more efficiently around them. JJ Peterka was an interesting swing in that direction. Even after a down season, his market value is still roughly in line with his salary. If he can click well with Pastrnak, that could be the win Boston is looking for,'' Luszczyszyn wrote.
He is right. The David Pastrnak deal is going to turn into a nice bargain for Boston with each passing season. The same can be said for Jeremy Swayman. Of course, there was an overreaction when both deals were signed, but now with the salary cap going up, those deals are going to age very well when compared to some other contracts around the NHL. We'll see how the JJ Peterka contract Boston inherited back in June plays out in 2026-27 and beyond.
Sure, there are some other contracts that Sweeney would like a do-over with. Elias Lindholm is at the top of that list, for sure. However, given the deals that Sweeney has handed out and where they rank with the salary cap going, things are not all that bad in the big picture.
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