NHL commissioner Gary Bettman took the podium today in Las Vegas to give an update on several topics, including some key events that will take place in 2022-23.
The 2023 NHL Winter Classic will feature the Boston Bruins at Fenway Park and will mark the fifth outdoor game for the team. The Bruins’ opponent has not yet been revealed, or the official date at this point. Fenway held the 2010 Winter Classic, where the Bruins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 in overtime.
Next year’s All-Star festivities will be held in Sunrise, Florida, and will be hosted by the Florida Panthers for the first time since 2003. The event will take place over February 3-4, 2023 with the All-Star Skills Competition on Friday, as it is this year. The Panthers, one of the league’s most exciting teams, will likely have several participants again next year.
The Stadium Series will head to Raleigh, North Carolina, where the Carolina Hurricanes will host an outdoor game at Carter-Finley Stadium, home of the NC State Wolfpack. This will be the very first outdoor game for the Hurricanes, though their opponent has also not been announced yet. The Stadium Series date has also not yet been officially set for 2023.
On the upcoming 2022 draft that is currently scheduled for Montreal, Bettman explained that if Quebec’s current COVID restrictions have not changed by that point, the league may decide to take it somewhere else. He hopes to have not only the team representatives and players in person, but also fans in the stands.
The league will also return to Europe next season in the Global Series, with games scheduled for Germany, Switzerland, Finland, and the Czech Republic, though details on those games were not revealed.
Canadians have a few picks already, and likely a bunch more, if they move some players. Probably one of few things fans are looking forward to in the coming months. Would be a shame if they lost the draft because of restrictions.
Well, at least Gary is considering the idea of moving the draft. My advice: do it already.
And I truly hate the “Global Series”. They have plenty of good hockey in their various European nations, why deprive fans here of a game or two at their home arena?
Hey Gary, bring the draft to AZ! We don’t give a shit about COVID here. Our governor acts like it doesn’t exist and we have great golf courses for all the team execs.
Yep, and they can even keep on pretending the Yotes are an NHL team!
You sold me! :D
I LOVE the draft.
When it came to Pittsburgh, I got my (free) ticket right away. Really looked forward to it.
I made it ten picks.
It’s the MOST BORING thing ever when you are there. On TV, you get video, analysis, rumors, new breaking, etc. When you are there, you wait for Gary to go to the podium, that’s about it. You watch them spend 5 minutes hugging and walking after they are picked and put on a jersey. You are basically extras to make it look good on TV.
An outdoor hockey game in North Carolina… what could possibly go wrong?
A team losing to the Canes.
Maybe have a tradition that the visiting team for the winter classic is always the reigning stanley cup champs.
Since John Henry and FSG just bought the Penguins it’s a pretty good bet it will be Bruins/Pens