''WHY: The Bruins have made the playoffs every year for the past six years, and that's a credit to the management tandem of Neely and Sweeney, who have worked together in their respective roles since 2015.''
''But the Stanley Cup has eluded them, and last season they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2016-17. There is a sense that the franchise is facing the law of diminishing returns, which may be why Neely and Sweeney chose to fire longtime coach Bruce Cassidy this summer, replacing him with former Dallas Stars coach Jim Montgomery.''