Don Sweeney executed a major piece of business on Monday by in the 2024 NHL Draft. It was a point of emphasis for the general manager to grant first-round action to an amateur scouting staff that was idle on the opening night of the previous two drafts. “Getting back into the top part of the draft was important for us,” Sweeney told reporters in Las Vegas on Thursday.
“It’s not an easy task at this time of the year. Those don’t trade hands very often at this point in time. But the opportunity was there.
Hopefully we can take advantage of it.” Advertisement The Bruins are short on prospects at every position. So on Friday night at The Sphere, they will draft the teenager with the highest upside, regardless of whether he’s a forward or defenseman.
“We’re going to try to find the best player we possibly can,” Sweeney said. “There’s always an eye toward positional needs if it presents. But it’s a dangerous prospect, going into the draft thinking you’re just going to target a particular position.
It’s ill-fated at times. You can make some mistakes.” The Bruins can take a first-round swing because they had the cap space , following 25 percent salary retention, the four years and $3 million annually on ’s contract.
Cap-strapped teams like the did not. This offseason, unlike last, an empty ledger is Sweeney’s primary team-building tool. It already got him a first-round selection.
More is coming. Come July 1, Sweeney will have approximately $23 mill.