Nov 13, 2014; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban (76) checks Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic (17) during the second period at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
“If it happens, I think it’s pretty exciting. I’ve never done anything like that. Probably the coolest things for me would be the retro jerseys and retro gear. I think it would be cool. To play outside in that football stadium would be an experience you’ll never forget.”-Dougie Hamilton
The news first broke of a Boston Bruins versus long-time rival Montreal Canadiens Winter Classic on February 3, 2014 when journalist Chris Botta tweeted out that the League had been considering the idea for the 2015 Classic. While the initial announcement is being made at this weekend’s NHL All-Star Game, today it was confirmed that for next season, the 2016 Winter Classic, held on January 1, will be at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, featuring our two favorite rivalry teams.
Confirmed w/league source B's & Habs will indeed play 2016 Winter Classic on Jan 1 at Gillette. Will be formally announced at ASG weekend
— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) January 19, 2015
As former CC writer Duncan Day reported last year when the rumors started, Gillette Stadium is a great hosting venue given that they have a seating capacity of 70,000 fans. To quote him; Bruins fans hate the Canadiens. Canadiens fans hate the Bruins. Being a very heated rivalry, a 70,0000 person capacity should fill up pretty quickly.
Go Joe Bruin
The Boston Bruins are no stranger to this sort of event, having been a part of the Winter Classic back in 2010 when they faced off against the Philadelphia Flyers, defeating them in overtime and neither are the Montreal Canadiens. They’ve appeared in two Heritage Classics, one in 2003 against the Edmonton Oilers (being deemed the first regular-season outdoor hockey game) and again in 2011 against the Calgary Flames. Currently on the Boston Bruins roster there are only a handful of members left from the team that took part in the 2010 Classic. Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci and Zdeno Chara were the only three who suited up and participated while Rask served as Tim Thomas‘s back-up and Milan Lucic sat out with an injury. So this concept is all new to a majority of the current Boston Bruins roster. When Dougie Hamilton was asked about participating in an event like this he stated;
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"“It would be pretty unbelievable,” Bruins defenseman Dougie Hamilton said of the matchup. “There were rumors about it last year that we were going to have it this year, and you kind of get excited when you hear that. I was kind of hoping that really didn’t pass by and we’d still have that chance. If it happens, I think it’s pretty exciting. I’ve never done anything like that. Probably the coolest things for me would be the retro jerseys and retro gear. I think it would be cool. To play outside in that football stadium would be an experience you’ll never forget.”"
And he’s right. There is always something remarkable about a game that’s played outside, it brings out a different side of the players participating, bringing them back to when many started out playing on frozen ponds with neighborhood friends. There’s a certain thrill that you get out of experiencing this type of game with the climate always uncertain and the heightened angst of surrounding fans. Not to mention the everlasting thrills of this rivalry.