The NHL has been expanding the league overseas in recent seasons. On Tuesday morning, the Boston Bruins are the latest team to go global, but not until the 2027-28 season, when they will be going to Germany for two games.
The Black and Gold will take part in the 2027 NHL Global Series against an opponent, with dates and times to be announced at a later date. It'll mark the second trip to Europe for regular-season games and the first since the beginning of the 2010-11 season that they played the then-Phoenix Coyotes in Prague, Czechia.
“The 2027 NHL Global Series games in Germany present an incredible opportunity for the Bruins organization to build on our longstanding connection with fans around the world,” said Boston Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs, per a team-issued release. “We look forward to representing the Bruins and the city of Boston at one of the National Hockey League’s marquee events and engaging with our passionate fanbase in Munich, across Germany and beyond.”
Bruins strong Germany ties make them a no-brainer for two games
It is anyone's guess as to who the NHL will send to Germany to play the Bruins. It could be a Western Conference foe, where it is a home-and-home type series, or an Eastern Conference foe, where each team gets a game as the home team and one fewer trip to each city next season.
As far as the Black and Gold's ties to Germany, head coach Marco Sturm has coached for Germany's National Team, and he holds the record for all German players in terms of NHL games played, and is second in goals and points. If you listen to Sturm talk about his love for Germany, it would make sense that Boston is part of the games selected by the NHL.
The Bruins have two players on their roster with ties to Germany. Lukas Reichel was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks at the trade deadline back in March, and after playing in a handful of games following the deal, he was re-signed in May.
Right before the NHL Entry Draft in June in Buffalo, Boston acquired right-winger JJ Peterka from the Utah Mammoth for a pair of first-round draft picks. A second-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres, Peterka represented Germany in the 2026 Winter Olympics and had a goal and three assists. In 320 career NHL games, the 24-year-old has played in 320 games with 92 goals and 105 assists for the Sabres and Mammoth.
Boston is a natural draw for the two games in Germany, and what is going to be interesting is to see who the opponent will be.
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