The Boston Bruins are reportedly one of as many as seven teams looking into the possibility of playing some home games outside this season.
News began leaking out Thursday of at least seven National Hockey League teams looking into the possibility of playing some of their home games outdoors in 2021. NHL insider Elliott Freedman of Hockey Night in Canada was first to report that at least four teams are talking to their local and state governments about the chances of that happening. Pierre McGuire of TSN reported that the number may be as high as seven.
Freedman reported the Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Los Angeles Kings, and Pittsburgh Penguins were the four teams he knew of. McGuire later reported that the Carolina Hurricanes, Nashville Predators, and Dallas Stars were also kicking the tires on making the outdoor move.
The Bruins released a statement Thursday afternoon confirming the report.
The Bruins have played in three outdoor games and hosted two in Boston. They hosted the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010 at Fenway Park in the NHL’s annual Winter Classic. The Bruins won the game 2-1 in overtime. In 2016, they hosted the Montreal Canadiens at Gillette Stadium and lost 5-1.
In 2019, the Bruins traveled to the University of Notre Dame and played the Chicago Blackhawks at Notre Dame Stadium, and won the battle of two Original Six teams 4-2.
There are multiple venues in the Boston area that the Bruins could try and use. Obviously, Fenway Park is an option, as would Gillette Stadium with the New England Patriots season being long over before a 2020-21 NHL starts.
Harvard Stadium in Cambridge is another option that the Bruins could look into. It is clear that Boston’s front office wants fans at games, knowing that fans at the TD Garden are more than likely not going to be allowed at any time in the near future. The Patriots were told by Massachusetts officials they could not allow fans at home games at least through the end of the year.
Coronavirus cases are mounting everywhere. Massachusetts set a new high of one-day cases Wednesday with 4,613 since the pandemic began last March.