Official now after being reported earlier today by ESPN’s Kevin Weekes, the 2023 Winter Classic, previously announced to feature the Boston Bruins at Fenway Park, will feature the Bruins and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Of note, this will be the third Winter Classic not played on New Year’s Day, due to January 1st falling on a Sunday. The game will be played on Monday, January 2nd.
This is Pittsburgh’s third Winter Classic and Boston’s fourth. The Penguins have a 1-1 Winter Classic record, while the Bruins have gone 2-1. It’s also the first time the NHL has re-used a venue for the Winter Classic, replicating the 2010 edition in which Boston defeated the Philadelphia Flyers by a score of 2-1 in overtime.
While it’s sure to be a good hockey game due to the quality of the teams, the selection is drawing ire from many NHL fans due to its repetitiveness. Only 14 of the league’s 32 teams have competed in a Winter Classic, with nine teams (Chicago, Boston, NY Rangers, Washington, St. Louis, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Philadelphia) appearing more than once. That’s all despite the 2023 game already being the 14th edition of the outdoor game.
The owner of Fenway Park also owns the Penguins. So, he gets money both ways. Would have rather seen the Panthers in the game.
What a lazy choice.
Yeah. Heaven knows I love the Bruins, but do they need to play an outdoor game nearly every damn year?
Great point. Why have two historic franchises meet in a game designed to draw new eyeballs? You don’t seem to grasp the concept of marketing.
How have the Toronto Maple Leafs or the Edmonton Oilers never been in a “winter classic” (it’s like 13 yrs old, not exactly “classic”) but Boston gets 3 lol.
I really like the outdoor games but it’s a shame the NHL selects the participating teams based on some unfair system of favoritism to a select few. Boston and Pittsburgh get yet another outdoor game while some teams are still waiting. Idea for the NHL to engage fans, make the outdoor selections an event like the draft and have a special lottery type draw.