Don Sweeney and the Bruins’ front office found themselves in unfamiliar territory on Friday night in Las Vegas.
For just the fourth time since 2017, the Bruins were on the clock in the first round of the NHL Draft, a byproduct of Boston dealing away a Vezina-caliber goalie in Linus Ullmark and re-acquiring the 25th overall selection.
When Sweeney and Boston’s personnel were focused on putting a core led by franchise fixtures like Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci over the top, short-term gains trumped long-term outlook.
Draft capital was often the primary currency Boston used to bolster their rosters, limiting their chances to develop homegrown, blue-chip prospects within their system.