- The 2023 NHL Winter Classic will be held on Monday, January 2, 2023.
- The Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins will face off at Fenway Park.
- This will be the 14th Winter Classic to be played, and the second at Fenway Park.
With the New Year approaching, hockey fans have more than just the holidays to look forward to. One of the most exciting events on the NHL calendar, the Winter Classic, will be held on Monday, Jan. 2, at the historic Fenway Park in Boston.
This will be the 14th Winter Classic held in NHL history, with this year’s event seeing the Pittsburgh Penguins take on the Boston Bruins.
Take a look back at win No. 2️⃣0️⃣ pic.twitter.com/WwPyeNyUHe
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) December 4, 2022
For those unfamiliar, the Winter Classic is an annual regular-season hockey game played at an outdoor football or baseball stadium in an area with a resident NHL team. It is one of the season’s premier events, with every NHL team having requested to participate either as a host team or opponent.
NHL Winter Classic History
| YEAR | VENUE | HOME TEAM | VISITING TEAM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Ralph Wilson Stadium | Buffalo Sabres | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 2009 | Wrigley Field | Chicago Blackhawks | Detroit Red Wings |
| 2010 | Fenway Park | Boston Bruins | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 2011 | Heinz Field | Pittsburgh Penguins | Washington Capitals |
| 2012 | Citizens Bank Park | Philadelphia Flyers | New York Rangers |
| 2014 | Michigan Stadium | Detroit Red Wings | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 2015 | Nationals Park | Washington Capitals | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 2016 | Gillette Stadium | Boston Bruins | Montreal Canadiens |
| 2017 | Busch Stadium | St. Louis Blues | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 2018 | Citi Field | Buffalo Sabres | New York Rangers |
| 2019 | Notre Dame Stadium | Chicago Blackhawks | Boston Bruins |
| 2020 | Cotton Bowl | Dallas Stars | Nashville Predators |
| 2022 | Target Field | Minnesota Wild | St. Louis Blues |
The first NHL Winter Classic was held on Jan. 1, 2008, at Ralph Wilson Stadium (now Highmark Stadium) in Orchard Park, New York. The Buffalo Sabres took on the Pittsburgh Penguins with a then-NHL-record crowd of 71,217 fans in attendance.
Thirteen Winter Classics have been held as of January 2022. The 2013 event was postponed due to the 2012–13 NHL lockout, and the 2021 event was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This will be the Penguins’ third time participating in the event and the Bruins’ fourth. The Bruins are currently tied with the Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, and St. Louis Blues for the most Winter Classic wins, with each team having won twice.
When Is the 2023 NHL Winter Classic?
The 2023 Winter Classic will be held on Monday, Jan. 2, at Fenway Park in Boston. Although the event is usually scheduled on New Years’ Day each year, the 2023 event was moved to Jan. 2 since Jan. 1 falls on a Sunday.
CAPS OFF TO KASPERI KAPANEN! 🧢 pic.twitter.com/2IVoJSXYae
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) December 4, 2022
2023 NHL Winter Classic Prediction
I predict the Boston Bruins will win the Winter Classic against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and I don’t think it will be close.
As of Dec. 6, the Bruins are leading the league with a record of 20-3-1, while the Penguins are 11th at 13-8-4. While Pittsburgh is still very much in the playoff race this season, I don’t think Boston will have any issues putting them in their place at Fenway Park.
The Bruins and Penguins have already faced off once this season, with Boston winning 6-5 in overtime on Nov. 1 at PPG Paints Arena. As of Dec. 6, the online sportsbook has the Bruins with Stanley Cup odds of +650, while the Penguins are +2200.
I certainly wouldn’t count out seeing both teams in the playoffs this season, but at this stage, the Bruins are playing a much stronger game on the ice.
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