Boston Booed the Trade—Now It’s the Reason for an Apology

With the NHL now on the Olympic break, fans and analysts will examine where some teams sit, many in positions vastly different than what was projected at the start of the 2025-26 NHL season. One of the big surprises is the conversation around the Boston Bruins.

One writer and analyst is calling for an apology to general manager Don Sweeney. Mike McMahon, Publisher of College Hockey Insider newsletter, is all over fans who criticized the Bruins’ approach to the season. They are sitting comfortably at 32-20-5 with 69 points and firmly in the Atlantic Division playoff picture.

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He writes:

“He’s not going to get it, but a lot of people owe Don Sweeney and the Bruins front office an apology. 32-20-5 at the break with a potential top-10 pick + Fraser Minten for Brandon Carlo. Plus, great depth finds with Alex Steeves, Jonathan Aspirot. And they have Hagens & Dean Letourneau (told you he’d be fine) developing.”

Sweeney was a lightning rod for criticism, especially over questionable drafts and uneven trades. However, a few moves have proven smart, specifically the trade that sent defenseman Brandon Carlo to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Fraser Minten.

In the deal, Boston landed prospect Fraser Minten, a conditional 2026 first-round pick (top-five protected), and a 2025 fourth-rounder. What once raised eyebrows now looks like a steal. Minten has grown into a meaningful contributor, and the added first-round pick gives the Bruins valuable future flexibility. Carlo, meanwhile, has struggled to find consistency in Toronto and is rumored to be on the trade block heading into the March 6 trade deadline.

Related: Maple Leafs Stuck in the Middle Between Brand and Team

The Bruins Have Surprisingly Solid Depth

The Bruins haven’t always been consistent. Brandon Share-Cohen of The Hockey Writers notes, “This season has been the tale of two Bruins teams. For some stretches of the season, they’ve looked resilient and borderline unbeatable. In other stretches, the weaknesses on their roster have been glaringly obvious. Because of that inconsistency, the team is going to need to identify their strengths and lean into them more consistently.”

Still, Boston’s depth-building strategy has paid off. Eight players on the roster have already reached double digits in goals, and two others are right behind them with nine each. Players like Alex Steeves and Jonathan Aspirot have chipped in at the NHL level, while names like Casey Mittelstadt, Marat Khusnutdinov, and Viktor Arvidsson have helped in the middle six.

Behind the bench, head coach Marco Sturm has brought new life to the team. While they arguably take too many penalties (the Bruins rank 28th in the NHL in penalty kill percentage), the Bruins are structured, defensively sound, and deeper than many expected. Holding down the second wild card spot in the East, they’re competitive—and fun to watch again.

It has taken time for fans to overlook other missteps. The infamous 2015 draft is among them. Big contracts and overpays are others. But the tone is shifting.

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