Bruins Schedule 2026-27: Breaking Down Best Games Ahead of New NHL Season

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While the NHL season is still a few months away, Boston Bruins fans can now start pinning important dates on their calendars.

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On Thursday, the NHL released its complete schedule for the 2026-27 regular season, the first 84-game campaign in the league's history. The Bruins will play at TD Garden in one of the three matchups on Opening Night on September 29 when they host the New York Rangers.

Throughout the longest NHL season ever, Boston has marquee matchups against Atlantic Division rivals, Eastern Conference powerhouses and Stanley Cup contenders, all with the hope of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs once again. With notable offseason acquisitions, including the trade for JJ Peterka, Bruins fans have plenty to be excited for as the season approaches.

Here is a breakdown of Boston's schedule, including some of the most notable games.

Bruins 2026-27 schedule: Notable games

September 29: vs. New York Rangers

Boston's Home Opener will serve as a three-game first night for the NHL. The Bruins will look to start their season with a win in front of the home crowd, facing a Rangers team that finished last in the Metropolitan Division last season.

Just like Boston, the Rangers made a major trade on draft night, acquiring winger Pavel Dorofeyev from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for a 2026 first-round pick and a 2028 conditional first-round pick. New York also traded star center Vincent Trocheck to the Utah Mammoth.

October 27, December 13: at Carolina Hurricanes

The 2026 Stanley Cup champions are still riding the high of their second franchise title after a stellar 16-3 postseason run capped by a Game 6 shutout of the Vegas Golden Knights. Led by Conn Smythe winner Jordan Staal and the coaching masterclass of Rod Brind'Amour, Raleigh is the center of the hockey universe.

Though they will have to navigate the early portion of the year without star forward Seth Jarvis due to shoulder surgery, the Canes remain the gold standard of depth and defensive structure—and they are primed to raise yet another banner when they host Florida on opening night. Boston will travel to Lenovo Center twice in 2026, playing in one of the best hockey environments.

November 8, December 15: vs. Florida Panthers

The Panthers missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2026 in a season plagued by injuries. But the two-time Stanley Cup champions wasted no time announcing their return as a contender, making one of the biggest splashes of the offseason by acquiring Brady Tkachuk to pair with his brother Matthew in Sunrise.

Florida will enter the season as one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup, aided by the Tkachuk brothers and the return of Aleksander Barkov, who missed all of last year with a knee injury.

November 27, January 30: vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto figures to be right back in the fold, completely reshaping their identity. After striking gold in the lottery and securing the highly coveted forward Gavin McKenna at No. 1 overall in the draft, the front office wasn't done making waves. In a flurry of bold moves, they completely overhauled their roster, bringing in veteran netminder Sergei Bobrovsky on a massive three-year deal to solidify the crease, alongside key additions Nick Paul, Jack Roslovic, and Colton Sissons.

Boston's first matchup against the new-look Maple Leafs will be in primetime, a 1 p.m. puck drop on Black Friday.

December 1: vs. Colorado Avalanche

This game will carry extra meaning, not only because it's against a Stanley Cup contender in the Colorado Avalanche, but more importantly because it's the night Patrice Bergeron's number will go into the rafters at TD Garden.

Expect an emotional atmosphere at the Garden as No. 37 officially takes his rightful place among the franchise’s all-time legends. Bergeron’s resume reads like a first-ballot Hall of Fame checklist: a 2011 Stanley Cup champion, a six-time Selke Trophy winner (the most in NHL history), a member of the elite Triple Gold Club, and the long-time heartbeat of the modern Bruins.

December 10, April 10: at Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay continues to retool, proving they have no intention of letting their championship window close. The Bolts made serious headlines of their own on July 1 by bolstering their blue line with future Hall of Fame defenseman John Carlson.

Combined with the acquisitions of forward Jeffrey Viel and winger Ilya Mikheyev, Tampa Bay has rebuilt a formidable core capable of imposing its will in the Atlantic Division. The Bruins will face Tampa Bay down south for the first time in December. They also face the Lightning in Tampa Bay in the final game of the regular season, which can carry plenty of stakes.

January 1: at Chicago Blackhawks

Boston will play on New Year's Day for the first time since the 2021-2022 season.

The last time they played Chicago on January 1 was when they defeated the Blackhawks 4-2 in 2019 in front of over 76,000 fans at Notre Dame Stadium.

Taking the ice on New Year's Day is always a marquee event, and renewing the historic Original Six rivalry against the Blackhawks in Chicago makes for a perfect holiday showcase.

January 5, March 23: vs. Buffalo Sabres

Boston's season came to an end at the hands of the Sabres in 2026, falling to the Atlantic Division champions in six games in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Bruins lost all three games at home by a combined score of 13-3. 

The Bruins will have to wait until 2027 to face the Sabres, with the first two games coming at TD Garden before two late matchups in Buffalo in April. This time around, Boston will look to make a statement that they got better over the offseason, facing off against a young Sabres team that figures to contend for the Stanley Cup.

Boston Bruins schedule 2026-27

The Bruins begin their season on September 29, taking on the Rangers at 8 p.m. ET.

Check out the full schedule for the Bruins below:

DateOpponentTime (ET)Sept. 29vs. Rangers8 p.m.Oct. 2at Jets8 p.m.Oct. 3at Wild8 p.m.Oct. 5vs. Senators7:30 p.m.Oct. 8vs. Utah7 p.m.Oct. 10vs. Flyers1 p.m.Oct. 13at Sharks11 p.m.Oct. 16at Ducks10 p.m.Oct. 17at Kings9 p.m.Oct. 20at Stars8 p.m.Oct. 22vs. Predators7 p.m.Oct. 24vs. Sharks7 p.m.Oct. 27at Hurricanes8 p.m.Oct. 29at Blues8 p.m.Oct. 31vs. Blackhawks1 p.m.Nov. 2vs. Golden Knights7 p.m.Nov. 5at Penguins7 p.m.Nov. 8vs. Panthers1 p.m.Nov. 12vs. Canadiens7 p.m.Nov. 14vs. Wild7 p.m.Nov. 17vs. Kings7 p.m.Nov. 18at Red Wings7:30 p.m.Nov. 21vs. Capitals7 p.m.Nov. 25vs. Jets7 p.m.Nov. 27vs. Maple Leafs1 p.m.Nov. 29vs. Canucks5 p.m.Dec. 1vs. Avalanche7:30 p.m.Dec. 5vs. Red Wings1 p.m.Dec. 8at Panthers7 p.m.Dec. 10at Lightning7 p.m.Dec. 12vs. Devils1 p.m.Dec. 13at Hurricanes1 p.m.Dec. 15vs. Panthers7 p.m.Dec. 17vs. Blues7 p.m.Dec. 19at Devils12 p.m.Dec. 20vs. Flyers1 p.m.Dec. 22at Islanders7 p.m.Dec. 26vs. Islanders7 p.m.Dec. 27at Devils7 p.m.Dec. 30vs. Oilers7:30 p.m.Jan. 1at Blackhawks3 p.m.Jan. 2at Blue Jackets7 p.m.Jan. 5vs. Sabres7:30 p.m.Jan. 6at Canadiens7:30 p.m.Jan. 9at Red Wings7 p.m.Jan. 12vs. Hurricanes7 p.m.Jan. 14vs. Stars7 p.m.Jan. 16at Rangers12 p.m.Jan. 18vs. Lightning1:30 p.m.Jan. 20at Avalanche9 p.m.Jan. 22at Golden Knights10 p.m.Jan. 23at Utah9 p.m.Jan. 26vs. Blue Jackets7 p.m.Jan. 28at Senators7 p.m.Jan. 30vs. Maple Leafs7 p.m.Feb. 10at Maple Leafs7:30 p.m.Feb. 13vs. Blue Jackets7 p.m.Feb. 15vs. Ducks12:30 p.m.Feb. 17at Flames10 p.m.Feb. 19at Oilers9 p.m.Feb. 21at Canucks9 p.m.Feb. 22at Kraken9:40 p.m.Feb. 25vs. Capitals8 p.m.Feb. 27vs. Red Wings12 p.m.March 3at Rangers7 p.m.March 4at Senators7 p.m.March 6vs. Penguins12 p.m.March 8vs. Kraken7 p.m.March 10at Canadiens7:30 p.m.March 11at Penguins7 p.m.March 13vs. Flames7 p.m.March 15vs. Islanders7 p.m.March 18at Flyers7 p.m.March 20at Predators5 p.m.March 23vs. Sabres7 p.m.March 25vs. Senators7 p.m.March 26at Capitals7 p.m.March 30vs. Canadiens7 p.m.April 1at Senators7 p.m.April 3vs. Lightning3 p.m.April 5at Maple Leafs7 p.m.April 7at Sabres7:30 p.m.April 9at Panthers7 p.m.April 10at Lightning8 p.m.

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