Sweeney was named the eighth general manager in the history of the Boston Bruins before the 2015-16 season. After missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs in his first season as GM, the Bruins advanced further into the postseason in each of the next three seasons, before winning the Presidents' Trophy with 100 points in 70 games during the shortened 2019-20 season.
The Bruins are one of four Eastern Conference teams to reach the playoffs in each of the past four seasons, and Boston's 235 wins under Sweeney are third in the NHL behind the Washington Capitals (255) and Tampa Bay Lightning (252).
Sweeney was named General Manager of the Year following the 2018-19 season, in which the Bruins advanced to the Stanley Cup Final. Prior to the trade deadline that season, the Bruins acquired forwards Marcus Johansson and Charlie Coyle, who combined for 27 points (13 goals, 14 points) in the playoffs to help Boston reach the Stanley Cup Final.
The 54-year-old joined the Bruins Hockey Operations Staff in 2006 as the team's Director of Player Development and was named to the position of Director of Hockey Operations in July of 2007 before being promoted to Assistant General Manager in September of 2009. As Assistant GM, he oversaw the development of the team's drafted prospects at the AHL, junior hockey, college and European levels in addition to having a supervisory role in the day-to-day operations of the hockey department.
In 2014, the New Brunswick-native was appointed General Manager of Boston's AHL affiliate in Providence where he oversaw all hockey operations for that franchise.
Drafted by the Bruins in the eighth round, 166th overall, in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, he went on to play four seasons of college hockey at Harvard University. He earned both NCAA East All-American and ECAC First Team All-Star honors with the Crimson and played in the 1986 NCAA Finals before graduating with a degree in Economics.
The defenseman played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League, including 15 in a Bruins uniform. He is one of just two defensemen and four players in team history to play over 1,000 games in a Boston sweater and he still ranks fourth on the team's all-time games played list. He also ranks in the top ten of the club's all-time lists in career goals, assists and points by a defenseman.
