Report: GM Don Sweeney Read the Riot Act To Bruins Core Players Twice This Season

The Boston Bruins went nuclear at the trade deadline, blowing up the team, trading Brandon Carlo, Charlie Coyle, Justin Brazeau, and finally, the shocker, Brad Marchand.

We're now getting word, per insider James Murphy in rg.org, that GM Don Sweeney was so furious with the team's play this season after spending huge dollars in free agency last summer, he met with his core players—not once, but twice—to read them the riot act.

A source told Murphy that the leadership group of Marchand, Charlie McAvoy, David Pastrnak, Coyle and Carlo were dutifully warned:

Don told the core back in November and again before the Four Nations: ‘If you don’t get this together, changes are coming for you!’ and clearly he held true to his word. They all knew this was coming if they didn’t start winning more and find consistency.

He made it clear that he would do something exactly like this. He met with the leadership core and coaching staff after they fired ‘Monty’ [Jim Montgomery] and again right before the break.

The Bruins had a short-term boost after Montgomery was fired, going 7-2-0, but mediocrity soon returned, and the team now sits just one game over .500, in 7th place in the Atlantic Division, with a much different roster than the one they brought into the season.

After his trade to Florida, Marchand acknowledged the talks the Bruins core had during their struggles.

“We talked about it; we tried to stop it, and we just couldn’t,” Marchand admitted. “It just seemed like every time we tried to do the right things and change course, it wouldn’t come together for us."

The Bruins are 2-1-0 since the deadline moves, including a win over their former captain's new team, the Panthers. Marchand remains out week-to-week due to injury.