The Boston Bruins are heading overseas. The NHL announced on Thursday that the Bruins will play two regular-season games in Munich, Germany, during the 2027-28 season as part of the NHL Global Series.
The dates and opponents for the two games have not yet been announced. The NHL also announced that the Edmonton Oilers and German star Leon Draisaitl will play two games in Draisaitl's hometown of Cologne during the 2027-28 season.
Munich, meanwhile, is the hometown of new Bruins forward JJ Peterka, one of the top German players in the NHL today. Marco Sturm, the first German head coach in NHL history, is from nearby Dingolfing. The Bruins have a third German connection in forward Lukas Reichel, who played 10 games (plus one playoff game) with Boston last season and figures to be a bubble player entering camp this year.
The NHL will play regular-season games in Germany for each of the next three seasons, including two games in Dusseldorf between the Chicago Blackhawks and Ottawa Senators this December.
The Bruins have not played overseas since 2018, when they played two preseason games in China. They previously played two regular-season games in Prague, Czech Republic, to open the 2010-11 season. They also played preseason games in Liberec, Czech Republic, and Belfast, Northern Ireland, that year.
These will be the first regular-season games played in Munich. The Buffalo Sabres played an exhibition game against German team Red Bull Munchen there in 2024. The games will be played at SAP Garden, which opened in 2024 and has a capacity of 10,796 for hockey.
This will make for two years in a row that a Boston team plays in Munich, as the New England Patriots face the Detroit Lions at Allianz Arena this November.
“There is no better way to experience the speed, skill and excitement of NHL hockey than live and in person. The National Hockey League is thrilled to bring our first-ever regular season games to the passionate fans in Munich and Cologne,” said Bill Daly, NHL Deputy Commissioner. “These events represent an important step in our commitment to grow the game in Germany. By bringing more NHL games to one of Europe’s most dynamic hockey markets, we hope to continue to deepen engagement amongst our fans, partners and local communities, while at the same time creating a significant opportunity to grow the game throughout the country.”
“The NHL Global Series games in 2027 bring two of the NHL’s best players in Leon Draisaitl and JJ Peterka back to play in front of their hometown fans,” said Marty Walsh, NHLPA Executive Director. “Germany has a proud hockey tradition, and these NHL Global Series games are part of the League and NHLPA’s ongoing commitment to build meaningful connections between NHL players and the German marketplace.”
