LAS VEGAS – NHL will return to Fenway Park to host the Winter Classic 2023.
Commissioner Gary Bettman announced on Friday that Boston Bruins will host the outdoor game on January 1. Fenway Park previously hosted the Winter Classic in 2010, when the Bruins beat Philadelphia Flyers2-1, in extra time.
Boston’s opponent has yet to be determined. However, there is much speculation that it will be Pittsburgh Penguins allege that Fenway Sports Group now owns both Fenway Park and the team, with that sale having been approved by the NHL in December 2021.
“It’s been 12 years since we came to Fenway,” Bettman said. “A lot of money has been poured into the building. It’s not quite like a football field. Boston is clearly a great hockey town.” .
This is the first time the NHL has reused the venue for an outdoor game. Bettman says that’s natural, given the number of outdoor events the NHL has hosted since the first Winter Classic in 2008.
“We’ve done more than 30 outdoor games now,” he said.
The first Fenway Park Winter Classic is the third edition of the event, which has evolved aesthetically over the years under the stewardship of NHL content director Steve Mayer. He did not attend the League in the first Fenway Classic.
A return visit to Fenway could include a reorientation of the rink from the 2010 game, as well as some improved use of Green Monster.
NHL also announced that Hurricane Carolina will host a Stadium Series game at Carter-Finley Stadium, home of the NC State Wolfpack in Raleigh, NC. This will be the first regular outdoor game for the Hurricanes, who will become the 28th NHL team. participate in a casual season outdoor game.
The game was scheduled for 2023. It was originally scheduled for the 2021-22 season, but the Hurricanes and the NHL came to a “mutual agreement” that it should be postponed due to safety concerns for the game. fan.
In indoor hockey news, the NHL will bring its All-Star Week to South Florida in 2023, where Florida Panthers will play host at the FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Fla. The All-Star Skills Competition is scheduled for February 3, and the All-Star Game is scheduled for February 4. The Panthers previously hosted the NHL All-Star Game in 2003.
Finally, the NHL has announced that it will bring back its International Hockey Global Series for the 2022-23 season. The NHL will host pre-season matches in Switzerland and Germany, and regular matches in Finland and the Czech Republic.
Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said: “That’s undisputed. “We’ve already established momentum in terms of having a more and more frequent presence with games in Europe. With the pandemic waning and hopefully with a return to normal, it only makes sense to be restart those efforts and continue them.”
The NHL hasn’t played a game outside of North America since November 2019.
