The Boston Bruins are heading back outdoors, and will do so in a new, nontraditional locale.
The NHL announced on Wednesday that the Bruins will play an outdoor game in Tampa, Florida against the Lightning during the 2025-26 season.
The news was first reported by WEEI’s own Tom Carroll.
The game will be held at Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, on Sunday, Feb. 1 as part of the NHL Stadium Series. It will not be the Winter Classic, although that will also be held in Florida, with the Florida Panthers hosting the New York Rangers at Miami’s LoanDepot Park, home of the Marlins, on Jan. 2. Those will be the first two outdoor games the NHL has ever held in Florida.
This will be the sixth time the Bruins have played an outdoor game since the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park, which they won against the Philadelphia Flyers. They have a 4-1 record outdoors. They also won the 2019 Winter Classic over the Chicago Blackhawks at Notre Dame Stadium, a 2021 NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe game over the Flyers, and the 2023 Winter Classic over the Pittsburgh Penguins at Fenway. Their only loss was against the Montreal Canadiens in the 2016 Winter Classic at Gillette Stadium.
“The Bruins organization takes pride in being selected to participate in one of the National Hockey League’s marquee events,” Bruins president Cam Neely said in a statement. “Similar to the NHL Winter Classics at Fenway Park, Gillette Stadium, and Notre Dame Stadium and the NHL Outdoors Game in Lake Tahoe, the 2026 Stadium Series in Tampa will be a meaningful opportunity for our players and entire organization to showcase the game of hockey on a grand scale. All of us at the Bruins, as well as our passionate fanbase, are excited for what will be yet another incredible experience at Raymond James Stadium next February.”