BOSTON (AP) – The Boston Bruins on Wednesday named Don Sweeney, former Harvard teammate of incoming GM Peter Chiarelli, as director of player development.

Sweeneys responsibilities will include tracking the progress of all prospects in the Bruins system at the AHL, junior hockey and college levels and scouting of professional leagues.

Sweeney, 39, was drafted by the Bruins out of high school as their eighth pick in the 1984 NHL entry draft.

He went on to play four seasons of college hockey at Harvard University, including three as a teammate of Chiarelli.

He turned professional in 1988 after earning his degree in economics and split his first two professional seasons between Boston and its AHL affiliate in Portland, the Maine Mariners.

He played 15 seasons and 1,052 games in a Bruins uniform, as he is one of just four players (two defensemen) in team history to play in over 1,000 games.

Sweeney concluded his NHL playing career in 2003-04 with the Dallas Stars.

He retired with 52 goals and 221 assists for 273 points and 681 penalty minutes in 1,115 career regular season games and added nine goals and ten assists for 19 points with 81 penalty minutes in 108 career playoff contests.

“He knows what it takes to have success in this league, as speed and consistency were his hallmarks as a player,” Interim General Manager Jeff Gorton said.

He served the last year as an assistant dean of admissions at Phillips Academy Andover and was also a studio analyst for Bruins games on New England Sports Network.

AP-ES-06-21-06 1411EDT