Bruins GM Confident Team Will be ‘Competitive’ This Season

The Boston Bruins were one of the worst teams in the NHL last season, but general manager Don Sweeney is confident they will be much better this season.

The Bruins were sellers at the trade deadline, as Boston dealt captain Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers. Boston finished the year with a record of 33-39-10, which was the fifth-worst record in the NHL.

In the offseason, the Bruins added more depth to the lineup to make them harder to play against. Although Boston didn’t add any star players, Sweeney expects internal improvements and the team to be a playoff contender.

“If we stay healthy, I think we’re going to be really competitive,” Sweeney said on Tuesday. “Ultimately, we’re going to blend, as (head coach) Marco (Strum) talked the other day, a standard that has got to be risen in terms of how competitive we’re going to be, with the structure he wants to play.” 

Sweeney believes Boston has the talent to be much better, as the Bruins still have a core group of Jeremy Swayman, David Pastrnak, and Charlie McAvoy.

Additionally, Sweeney believes the Bruins’ young players are also ready to take the next step, which will help Boston be more competitive.

“There’s going to be a competition for ice time and for roster spot, and that was by design all summer long,” Sweeney said. “We made a massive change in direction last year at the deadline, and now we need to course correct. We need to take steps forward and get back to the level and standing that we all expect.”

The Bruins open their season on Oct. 8 on the road against the New York Rangers. Boston’s home opener is set for Oct. 9 against the Chicago Blackhawks.