The Stanley Cup's Crimson connections

Three Harvard alumni played front-office roles in building the Boston Bruins team that won ice hockey's 2011 Stanley Cup.

The Bruins' Don Sweeney '88 hoists the Stanley Cup.

The Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League celebrated on the ice in Vancouver, Canada, on June 15 when they won the seventh game of the finals over the Vancouver Canucks and so captured ice hockey's coveted Stanley Cup. The Bruins had not won the Cup since 1972. Three Harvard alumni, all ice hockey players themselves, were in the Bruins' front office and helped build the championship team. General manager Peter Chiarelli ’87 hired Bruins head coach Claude Julien in 2007 and has shaped the roster for more than five years with signings and trades. Assistant general manager Don Sweeney ’88 and director of collegiate scouting John Weisbrod ’91, both of whom have also logged five years with the Bruins, worked alongside Chiarelli in the team's front office to construct the squad that now owns the bragging rights on ice.

Related topics

You might also like

Harvard Elects New Overseers, HAA Directors

Leaders for the governing board and alumni association were chosen by an alumni vote.

Phi Beta Kappa Speakers Call Out a ‘Deeply Troubling’ Moment

Former Harvard President Lawrence Bacow and poet Meghan O’Rourke urge graduates to focus on character and “radical attention.”

Radcliffe Institute Announces 2026-2027 Fellows

Scholars will tap Harvard’s intellectual resources during the coming academic year.

Most popular

Ronny Chieng Tells Harvard to ‘Destroy AI’ as Graduates Cheer

The comedian and The Daily Show host gave the keynote address for Class Day 2026.

Commencement Day with Conan O’Brien

The comedian headlined a star-studded cast for Harvard’s 375th Commencement exercises.

Meet Harvard’s 2026 Student Commencement Speakers

Two undergraduates and a Ph.D. candidate will address the graduating class on May 28.

Explore More From Current Issue

Colorful illustrated map of Colonial Cambridge and the Harvard College campus featuring buildings of the campus, houses, Cambridge Common, and the Charles River

250 Years Ago, Harvard Was Home to a Revolution

A look at the sights, sounds, and characters that put the University on the frontlines of history

Historical scene in colonial Boston depicting British soldiers confronting civilians, with smoke rising, in a city street.

Houghton Library Displays Revolution-era News and Propaganda

A new exhibit reveals how early Americans learned about the war.

A dancer in a black leotard poses gracefully in a bright studio, with mirrors reflecting her movement.

A New Black Swan Musical Cranks Up the Tension

The creative team of the A.R.T.’s new show dish on adapting Darren Aronofsky’s thriller classic from screen to stage.