The 2024-25 Boston Bruins season was a total disaster and the team finished at the bottom of the NHL standings. Fans were frustrated and rightfully so. But on Wednesday during the post-mortem press conference, CEO Charlie Jacobs came out and sounded accountable.
“We owe you a better team and we will deliver a better team,” Jacobs said. “I share your disappointment and frankly embarrassment at how bad this season was.”
Jacobs said the results were “completely unacceptable” and that accountability would be at an all-time high going forward. Sounds good but as the presser went on cracks started to show in the Bruins’ commitment to actual accountability.
Accountability Takes a Backseat
What started out as a good mea culpa quickly turned into defensiveness. Instead of talking about specific plans to get better, much of the conversation turned into whataboutism—a tactic that undermines the Bruins’ credibility.
One of the biggest examples came when The Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont brought up the Bruins’ struggles in drafting and developing young talent. General Manager Don Sweeney and President Cam Neely didn’t take that lying down.
“Can you just elaborate on that, Kevin?” Neely asked, challenging Dupont to clarify his point about Boston’s poor drafting record.
Dupont pointed out the Bruins’ lack of top-10 picks and first-round selections over the last few years. Neely countered by bringing up the 2015 NHL Draft and said Don Sweeney wasn’t given enough time to prepare.
While it’s true Sweeney inherited a tough situation in 2015, dwelling on the past felt like a distraction. Instead of talking about current problems or how to fix them, Neely seemed more interested in defending old decisions—decisions fans have long moved on from.
Drafting and Developing: A Persistent Problem
Neely says the narrative around Boston’s drafting is “a little off.” He points out that many of the players drafted by the Bruins have played NHL games, which he calls a success.
But let’s be real: Just playing in the NHL shouldn’t be the benchmark for evaluating draft picks. What matters is whether those players contribute once they get there.
Take Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson (29 NHL games) and Jack Studnicka (107 games) for example. Are these guys “hits”? Or are they misses?
Look no further than the 2016 draft, where Boston took Trent Frederic 26th overall—a player scouts called a bottom six grinder not a top line producer. Six picks later, they took Jordan Kyrou and then Alex DeBrincat 39th. Both are top six forwards in the NHL.
In 2017, Boston went defense again and took Urho Vaakanainen 18th. Meanwhile, Josh Norris, 19th, and Robert Thomas, 20th, became offensive players elsewhere.
Even in 2019 and they went with Johnny Beecher—a safe, high floor pick who has not lived up to expectations.
These are the patterns: The Bruins have consistently chosen low risk, low reward over high upside. And while some teams have found gems late in the first round (Wyatt Johnston, Connor McMichael), the Bruins haven’t been one of them.
Pass the Buck, Lack of Clarity
The lack of accountability went beyond the draft. When asked about hiring a new head coach—a role with a notoriously short shelf life under Sweeney’s leadership—the answers were dismissive at best.
“I’ll call you back and let you know if someone says no,” Sweeney said when asked about candidates being hesitant.
Meanwhile, Jacobs said, “The shelf life of a head coach is much shorter than a general manager or a team president.”
That may be true, but it doesn’t excuse the front office from creating a stable environment for coaches to succeed.
Looking Ahead or Living in the Past?
Despite their recent struggles the Bruins are optimistic about the future. Jacobs said they’ll be back in the playoffs in 2026 with the additions they have planned and a healthier roster.
Neely echoed that but added a qualifier: “It’s not just about getting into the playoffs here, it’s about winning.”
That’s a great goal but it requires more than just words. It requires facing the past head on and making real changes.
For example, if the Bruins had beaten the Blues in Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final or kept themselves competitive against the Panthers in 2023, the narrative might be different today. But dwelling on what ifs won’t get the team moving forward.