When questioned about his reaction to Bertuzzi's one-year contract with the Maple Leafs, Sweeney conceded,
"I must admit, it caught me by surprise to some extent. However, I prefer not to delve into discussions regarding players from other teams at this moment. It is worth noting that certain players were seeking longer-term agreements, and my focus was on those negotiations. Some teams were better positioned to offer shorter-term contracts at appropriate terms, which compelled us to address our roster needs. We made a move to create necessary salary cap space. It would have required us to be even more proactive and explore additional deals, but we felt the value wasn't there to justify making further moves or being overly aggressive."
