NO GUARANTEES: Don Sweeney’s Standards for Boston Bruins Training Camp

NO GUARANTEES: Don Sweeney’s Standards for Boston Bruins Training Camp

Don Sweeney has thrown down the gauntlet. No guarantees, no handouts. Bruins roster spots are earned, not given. With camp opening next week, who is ready to fight for ice. You’re Locked on Bruins, your daily podcast on the Boston Bruins, part of the Locked On podcast network. your team every day. What is up, Bruins fans, and welcome back to the Locked On Boston Bruins podcast. I’m your host, Ian McLaren, and this is a daily show where we discuss all things spoke beat. Today is Wednesday, September 10th. Thank you so much for making Lockdown Bruins your first listen every day. On today’s show, we’re going to discuss what Don Sweeny’s message about standards and expectations tell us about the Bruins reset, how his vision of competition at camp will play out in the kids versus veterans battle, and our Bruin of the day, Mate Lumel, a 39 goal scorer in the AHL, who represents Sweeny’s mandate. Thank you again for making Lockdown Bruins your first listen every day. It’s part of the Locked Podcast Network. your team every day. And today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Download the FanDuel app now by visiting fanuel.com and win $300 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins. Before we get into today’s topics, first of all, if you’re watching on YouTube, yes, I know I need a haircut. I will be getting one later today. My wife’s kind of angling for me to get a mini mullet, baby mullet, whatever it’s called. We’ll see if that ends up happening. Also, follow along with the podcast on social media. Locked NHL Bruins. That’s on Instagram, Blue Sky Threads, Tik Tok. You can find me, my hockey thoughts, and dad jokes, Ian C McLaren. I’m a lifelong Boston Bruins fan, and I have been covering this team and the NHL for various outlets for 20 years now. And today we’re discussing what we learned from general manager Don Sweeney at yesterday’s Boston Bruins Foundation Golf Tournament. An annual event that kind of unofficially kicks off a new season right off the top. Shout out to Henry Yokiharu for hitting the first hole-in-one in the history of this event. The bigger news was Don Sweeney setting the tone, saying the Bruins must be healthier. I mean, that’s not a decision. That’s kind of luck. But what they can control is being harder to play against and accountable to a higher standard. He said, “If we stay healthy, I think we’re going to be really competitive.” And he acknowledged that last season went off the rails. Jim Montgomery let go replaced with Joe Sacko. Jeremy Swayman regressed for a number of reasons. Hampers Lindome Charlie Makavoy injured. Brad Marshon Charlie Coyle Brandon Carlo traded at the deadline and also key signings in Nikita Zadorov. Elias Lindholm didn’t quite hit right off the bat. Even with a lost season though, Boston still has cornerstones which give Sweeney confidence they can rebound. Namely, David Postnok, Makavoy, Hampers, Lindholm, Jeremy Swayman. That’s your core right now with Nikita Zidorov, Elias Lynhome being kind of that secondary core as well. He echoed Marco Sturm’s emphasis on structure. a standard has to be set in terms of how competitive the Bruins are going to be in the structure they want to play with. He also noted that younger players will be asked to surprise them by taking spots. But as we saw on July 1, the team is now insulated with veterans to avoid another total collapse. He also focused on defensive reset and special teams. Every day is well remembered. This was a topic yesterday. Special teams. Sweeney acknowledged last season’s failures. Just abysmal in terms of goals for goals against penalty kill power play. His optimism is coming from again Makavoy Lindholm being healthy. If you take those two guys or top two defenseman off any team around the NHL, chances are you’re going to struggle a bit. And that’s what happened last season. Injuries are always a risk. It’s something you can always point to for not meeting expectations. Uh it’s not an excuse, per se. It’s just a reality. If some of your best players are injured, the team’s going to struggle. You don’t always some teams are better or have more reinforcements than others, but the Bruins didn’t last season and they suffered for it. So, Makavoy Lindholm being healthy, that’s obviously going to be a boost. Marco Sturm’s going to be called upon to reinforce defensive zone and neutral zone play. And Steve Spot hired to run the power play. a an area that he has proven to be quite proficient at in his seasons with the Dallas Stars. He spoke specifically about Jeremy Swayman being in a much better place as he spoke about the other day when he said Jeremy Swayman is a completely different human being. Jeremy Swayman is ready to live up to being a 1A goalie on this team, one of the higher paid players on the team, one of the higher paid goalies in the NHL. And Sweeny’s pointing to that as one of the markers for team improvement, right? If Jeremy Swayman’s in a better place, if his core defenders are healthy, that right there is going to help improve this team. Like you can look at last year and give all the reasons why the Bruins fell apart, but those are like three key players that did not meet expectations that if they’re back on their games should help the Bruins pick up more than a handful of points just right there. a healthier roster, stronger defensive structure, improved special teams, and Jeremy Swayman being in a better place. That all adds up to uh a healthier measure of success for the Boston Bruins. You can be down on this team. You can question the secondary pieces, but those core guys when healthy, I mean any team would love to have a Jeremy Swayman, a David Postnock, a Charlie Makavoy, even a Hambus Lindhon. You can criticize them for their play last year, but so many things went wrong. You can’t just pin it on one particular player. Um, you know, you can’t always bank on health either. There’s going to be some injuries that come up. You have to have guys around them that can step up when needed. Uh but all indications are they’re going to hit the ground running this season with a healthy roster. Marco Stern bringing in that defensive structure, Steve Spot coming in to improve the power play, and that’s all going to help things get off to a better start than they did last year. Last year, Swayman had the contract uh stuff going on. There were some key injuries in training camp. Both Marshon and Poster didn’t have their regular training regimens. Elias Lindholm was injured. Just so many things went wrong right from the very beginning. and it’s a reset now that is uh showing us that they’re better prepared for um a more competitive season. Now, he also added Sweeney did that there is no rush on naming a captain. This is something that we’ve discussed, we’ve been hearing about for weeks. The Bruins will start the season without a captain. They’ve been forward with everybody that they’re going to start without it. And Sweeney wants the process to be organic. Let David Poshnak or Charlie Makavoy or somebody else emerge naturally eventually. He said someone will emerge as the guy and they’d like it to be a more natural progression. So, it’s not just uh you know uh a pronouncement that you are the next guy. Logically, it probably should be David Poshnock. You can make a great case for Charlie Makavoy, but the leadership group is already meeting. Marco Sturm will make communication with them. Ultimately, he’s got a pretty big say in who his captain is going to be, and they’re going to allow that to work itself out. I would would not be surprised if it ends up being Posnock, maybe Makavoy, but maybe somebody really steps up and proves that they should be the captain. And we’re not, you know, in those meetings. We’re not in those discussions. We’ll see how it plays out, but I’m still hoping believing that it will be David Posh. So, Sweeney is sending a couple messages. Last year’s excuse list is gone. health and renewed structure defensively, offensively, special teams wise should equal a more competitive team and also leadership and identity need to be earned and not handed out. So, how does that translate into camp battles? What does that mean for the veterans versus kids debate? Who’s actually fighting for those open jobs? We’ll discuss that here as the podcast continues. Honestly, most people can’t name all their financial accounts or even what they’re worth, whether it’s 401ks, properties, investments, and when you don’t have the full picture, you can end up leaving money on the table. And that’s why there’s Monarch Money. 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All right, so training camp is going to be wide open and Don Sweeney wants kids and vets battling for every job and there’s even the possibility of PTO’s to increase pressure. The Bruins have not been adverse to inviting players to training camp on a professional try out. We saw it last year with Tyler Johnson year before Danton Heinen and Don Sweeney has yet to extend an official PTO, but he did say that they are monitoring the market right now. He said the Bruins are perfectly fine. I mean, that’s debatable, but they have spoken to some players that they feel could provide even more competition amongst the group. And I’ve discussed several times that I would love to see a guy like uh Robbie Fabry at Boston Bruins uh training camp. He’s a guy with tremendous offensive upside who has had some definite injury issues over the course of his career. He was selected before David Poshnock in that draft year and he’s a guy who if healthy on a very low-end contract could indeed provide some offensive pop or come into camp and work hard to uh impress another team in order to earn a contract elsewhere at the very least. Uh he’s still fairly young, only 29. uh he’s probably the guy that I’d be looking at. You also have uh you know Jack Rossovich who somehow doesn’t have a team to play for yet. You have uh who else? I mean that’s pretty much it. Jimmy VC, Craig Smith, Kevin Leank, I think is going to Devils um training camp on a PTO. So Robbie Fabrey to me is a guy that should get a look. former G Storm player Matt Potra connection there. Even though the roster is mostly set, they’re open to adding veteran tryyous to make jobs harder to win. Or if some guy really pops like Fabric comes in, lights out in exhibition, sign him to a one-year cheap deal so that he can try to get his career back on track healthwise. There are very few spots that are just going to be taken, Don Sweeney said. Obviously you have David Posternok, Morgan Geeki, you know, a bunch of guys who are expected to be regulars in the lineup. Pavazaka, Casey Middlestat, Victor Arvdson, but there’s going to be a competition for Ice Time and for roster spots. And he said that was by design. The deadline selloff was a massive change in direction. And now they have to course correct with competition and higher standards. He’s backing Marco Sturm’s idea to give younger players more leash to seize jobs but surround them with a competitive veteran group. The competition will lie mostly in the bottom six and in depth forwards. Uh Tanner Jano is expected to come in and be kind of a leader on this team. He’s got, you know, a five-year deal with a healthy AAV for his role. He’s expected to kind of come in, lock down a third line role, be physical, leader, maybe also chip in offensively. He does have a 20 goal season on his resume. Michael Esimod is another grinder in the mix. Shankar Ali. Uh also Mate Bluml who signed after 39 AHL goals could really shake things up. He’s actually today’s Bruin of the day. We’ll talk more about him coming up. The Young Guns to watch, of course, Fraser Minton, who’s seen as a potential middle six center. He was yesterday’s Bruno of the day. He’s going to play at the Prospects Challenge this weekend. should be lights out there and will come into training camp uh really with a good shot at a job because of his two-way play, defensive responsibility, offensive capabilities. Matt Pontra has NHL experience, must prove his durability, and Fabian Lysel, it’s a make orb breakak year for him to prove that he belongs, perhaps even a makeorb breakak camp. They’re fairly settled on defense with Lindholm, Zadorov, Lurai on the left side. There could be some uh room for additions on the right side where they’re pretty thin. You have, of course, Charlie Makavoy. And then after that, it’s kind of slim pickings. Henry Yoki Haru, the hole-in-one getter from yesterday. Uh Victor Sherstrom will compete for some playing time there. Andrew Peak um they could perhaps look to add there as well on a PTO or internal competition. Uh giving Sodorm an opportunity perhaps or Jordan Harris an opportunity to grab a spot. Sweenie summer was all about grit versus skill and Jano Esimont even Shan Carali to an extent represent sandpaper. Potra Lysel Bluml represent more speed skill. Fraser Mintton’s kind of the best of both that they have right now and the camp will show which side the Bruins truly lean on. Will Marco Stern prioritize that offensive evolution and give those kids some leash? Or will he lean more on defense and rely on those skilled, experienced, veteran guys to kind of help stabilize things. This is the proving ground Sweeney has set up. Jobs are indeed available, but nothing is guaranteed really outside the top five forwards, six forwards maybe. Geeky Postnak on your first line. I mean, Lind Elias Lindholm should start in the middle there based on how last season ended, but that’s not set in stone. Uh there’s a real battle to see who’s going to be the second line center, whether it’s Pavaka or Casey Middlestat, presumably with Victor Arvdson on the right wing. And then there’s a whole bunch of guys in the mix for the bottom six. Um veterans may feel the squeeze as much as prospects. Jobs are available. Nothing’s guaranteed. And it’s going to be really interesting to see how training camp shakes out. And that brings us to a new signing who kind of perfectly symbolizes the mandate to evolve, add some skill to the lineup, but who may feel himself pushed out due to all these uh veterans and going grit defense over skill. And that’s Matte Blum. We’ll discuss him here as the podcast continues. The NFL season is here and FanDuel is making sure you’re ready for kickoff with a can’tmiss offer. Right now, new customers can bet just $5. And if that bet wins, you’ll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. People love using FanDuel because it fits however you like to bet. Player props, building a same game parlay, jumping in live as the action unfolds, and it makes every game more exciting. Whether you’re watching your team or just keeping an eye on your fantasy lineup, it’s quick, it’s easy, and the best way to add a little more energy to your Sundays as well as Thursday evenings and Monday nights. So, are you ready to play? Download the FanDuel app now by visiting fanduel.com to get started. That’s fanduel.com. Place your first $5 bet and if it hits, you’ll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the FanDuel app. A name that you’re going to hear more and more as the days and weeks progress is Mate Blumel. He’s a bit of a wild card who could force Boston’s hand if he brings his scoring touch to camp. Now, this is a 25year-old uh who can play all over the lineup. He scored 39 goals in the AHL, leading that league last season. He was signed by the Bruins this past summer to a one-year deal. He could be a restrictive free agent at the end of the deal if not extended before then. And according to Dober, who I love to go to for prospect information, you know, the Bruins had woeful scoring issues last season. Blume has continued to increase his production every year in the AHL to a point per game, over a point per game last season. He’ll have an opportunity in Bruins camp to seize a middle six role. and if he does, he could become one of the best value signings of this past offseason. Uh he led the Texas Stars in scoring by 12 points, scored 15 more goals than the closest competition. So kind of like the David Pastron of his team. Good for first in goal scoring, second in league scoring in terms of total points. The overall offensive pop comes as he turns 25, became a UFA, and his time to make the NHL is now. Um, they call him a swift skating forward who’s aggressive on the forche, can add some secondary scoring while also being a threat on the penalty kill. And of course, that is huge for the Boston Bruins. a guy who can score but who can also be relied upon in his own zone. That’s what the Bruins love to see from their young forwards. Something that Fabian Lysel is kind of lacking, although that’s coming along. He represents the kind of younger skill Sweeney hopes can emerge. He’s much more polished than a raw prospect, but still unproven at the NHL level. He could be a depth winger who slots in the middle six. A power play shooter on the second unit under spot. Maybe even a guy who can chip in on the penalty kill up and down the lineup. That’s a guy that you want to see thrive. He does only have 13 games of NHL experience in which he scored two goals. uh one this past season and then one two seasons ago or three seasons ago with Dallas. He was originally a fourth round pick, 100th overall in 2019. He’s got prospect upside according to Dober of 6.5 out of 10. certainty 75% and a lot of people are high on him as a potential breakout candidate and as a guy who could certainly make some noise here for the Boston Bruins. A team that is definitely hungry for goals. Limited NHL experience, but he does have great success at the AHL level. And while he will have to battle in Bruins training camp, if he wins a job, it validates Sweeny’s promise of open competition. If he doesn’t, it may show the team still defaults to safer veteran options. So, he’s a key guy to watch more so than Lysel, I think. Uh, I think Minton, Blue Mel, those are guys that I think can certainly earn spots. And don’t forget when it comes to uh waiverss, Blumel, Alex Steves are both guys who are waiver eligible, meaning if they don’t crack the lineup out of training camp, they have to go through waiverss in order to be assigned to the uh Providence Bruins. Whereas Lysel, Patra, Minton are all guys who are waiverex exempt and can be sent down without having to go through that process. So that certainly changes things a little bit even if Lysel and um Minton Potra appear ready to crack the NHL and make an impact for the Boston Bruins. They may in terms of asset management choose instead to send them to Providence so as not to risk losing Blamel Steves for nothing on the waiver wire. And the same goes in net with Michael Dpietro. Maybe they want to keep three goalies and therefore have to send a forward down where they might not want to. Um, Cari, Jano, all these guys would have to go on waiverss in order to be sent down. Not as big of a risk. Obviously, if you lose them, that’s nobody’s taking Tanner Jano. Maybe Cari or Esimont, but they have two-year deals with the Boston Bruins, so you’d be taking them on. Chances of them being scooped pretty low. Steves, Blumel. Steves ranked second in AHL goalc scoring last season. So, he’s a candidate certainly to be scooped. That’s why you could see the veterans held on to and those waiver exempt guys being sent down. Blumel winning a job just by earning it, but also because of his contract status. Now, Blumel embodies Sweeny’s challenge. Prove you belong. If he delivers, he’s the kind of hidden gem who could tilt Boston’s forward depth in the right direction and give us some confidence in knowing that they are indeed looking to evolve offensively, add some scoring to the lineup instead of just relying on, not to be disrespectful here, but some boring veteran options who will help the Bruins win a lot of 2-1 games or come out on the losing end of those just because of a lack of scoring. All right, that’s today’s episode of Locked On Boston Bruins, my friends. Thank you so much for joining me. We’re part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. Please do check out the Locked On NHL podcast next. 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Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney set the tone for the 2025–26 season at the team’s annual golf outing, stressing that nothing will be handed out at training camp — every spot must be earned. He outlined a reset built on better health, stronger defensive structure, and much-needed special teams improvements, while leaning on stars like David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, and Jeremy Swayman to lead the charge. Sweeney also left the door open for PTO signings to fuel even more competition, setting the stage for a battle between veterans and prospects. On today’s podcast, Ian McLaren breaks down how this mandate for higher standards could shape camp — with a spotlight on new signing Matej Blümel, the AHL’s leading goal scorer, who could be Boston’s surprise weapon in their quest to rebound.

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