New Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney during his playing days. (Getty Images)
New Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney during his playing days. (Getty Images)

The Boston Bruins general manager search is officially over.

The team announced on Wednesday morning that it has hired Don Sweeney as its new GM, replacing Peter Chiarelli who was fired at the end of the 2014-15 season after the team missed the postseason for the first time since the 2006-07 season.

Chiarelli has since been hired as the new general manager of the Edmonton Oilers.

"Don has excelled in every role he has been in with the Bruins organization and has a comprehensive understanding of every aspect of our hockey operations department," team president Cam Neely said in a team released statement. "His commitment and drive to bring a championship caliber team to the Boston fans was evident every step of the way through this search process, and I am confident that his leadership of our hockey operations department will lead to success."

Sweeney is the eighth general manager in team history.

He has been a member of the team's front office since 2006, originally joining the organization as the director of player development.

He has been the assistant general manager for the past six years.

"I am both excited and humbled for the opportunity to be named the General Manager of the Boston Bruins," Sweeney said. "I would like to thank the entire Jacobs’ family and specifically Mr. Jacobs and Charlie, as well as, Cam for bestowing the confidence and trust in me to direct this historic franchise in which I have been a part of for 24 years. My family and friends have been extremely supportive throughout the General Manager search process and I certainly want to acknowledge them today to show my heartfelt appreciation. I am fully aware of everyone’s expectations to move the organization forward. The challenges ahead rests with the players, the coaches and the management group to work hard to make the necessary changes to bring the Bruins back to the forefront of contending for the Stanley Cup."

During his playing days Sweeney spent 15 out of his 16 seasons in the NHL as a member of the Bruins between 1988-09 and 2002-03, playing in 1,052 games with the team and scoring 52 goals. He spent the final year of his career with the Dallas Stars.

It's already been an interesting summer for the Bruins to fire a pretty successful general manager after one down year (even if there were some questionable moves along the way) and then simply replace him with his right-hand man from the past six years. 

Sweeney's first big decision will involve whether or not to bring back coach Claude Julien. 

In recent days reports surfaced that the Bruins had interviewed former Washington Capitals general manager George McPhee for the job, and that they had been looking to interview New York Rangers assistant general manager Jeff Gorton but never received permission to speak with him with the Rangers still playing in the postseason.