The Boston Bruins are celebrating their 100th season as an NHL franchise during the 2023-24 campaign, so expect to see a lot of tributes to the best players, rosters, games and moments from the Original Six club's history over the next year.
The Bruins announced their 2023-24 regular season schedule Tuesday. The first game is a matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday, Oct. 11 at TD Garden. It will be Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno's return to Boston, as well as the first ever game at TD Garden for 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick Connor Bedard.
The season concludes April 16 with a home game against the Ottawa Senators.
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Here's a rundown of everything Bruins fans should know about the upcoming schedule.
Key Dates
Season opener and home opener: Wednesday, Oct. 11 against the Chicago Blackhawks
Regular season finale: Tuesday, April 16 against the Ottawa Senators at TD Garden
Bruce Cassidy's return as a Stanley Cup champion with Vegas: Thursday, Feb. 29
First home game against 2023 playoff opponent, the Florida Panthers: Monday, Oct. 30
Black Friday matinee: Nov. 24 vs. Red Wings at 1 p.m. ET
Longest homestand: A span of seven games from Feb. 6 through Feb. 19
Longest road trip: A span of six games from March 23 through April 4
California trip: Oct. 19 at Sharks, Oct. 21 at Kings, Oct. 22 at Ducks
Western Canada/Seattle trip: Feb. 21 at Oilers, Feb. 22 at Flames, Feb. 24 at Canucks, Feb. 26 at Kraken
Connor McDavid's only game in Boston: The Oilers superstar and reigning Hart Trophy winner will be in town Tuesday, March 5.
2024 NHL All-Star Weekend: Friday, Feb. 2 and Saturday, Feb. 3 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto
Key Takeaways
Rivalries: The Bruins didn't play their most hated rival, the Montreal Canadiens, until Jan. 24 last season. They will play twice in November next season, with the first game at TD Garden scheduled for Nov. 18. Boston plays both Toronto and Montreal four times each (the maximum allowed).
Outdoor games: The Bruins will not take part in an outdoor game during the 2023-24 season. They hosted the 2023 Winter Classic at Fenway Park.
Era Nights: The Bruins will hold five "Era Nights" as part of their centennial season festivities. These nights will celebrate different players and teams from various eras in franchise history and include a pregame ceremony, guest appearances and more.
Here are the five Era Night games:
- Saturday, Oct. 28 vs. Red Wings: The Early Years (1924-1959)
- Saturday, Nov. 18 vs. Canadiens: Big Bad Bruins (1960-1976)
- Saturday, Dec. 16 vs. Rangers: Lunch Pail A.C. (1977-1985)
- Saturday, Jan. 20 vs. Canadiens: New Blood, New Beginnings (1986-2000)
- Thursday, March 7 vs. Leafs: Return of a Champion (2001-present)