The Boston Bruins will open the 2026-27 NHL season at TD Garden on September 29th, but the road schedule already has a few dates circled for fans who like their hockey with a little extra bite. From old rivals to a former goaltender wearing new colors, there’s no shortage of games worth the trip.
Start with Jan. 6 in Montreal, where the Bruins will meet the Canadiens. For Boston fans, that one carries the usual weight: the Bell Centre, the noise, the boos, and the chance to watch the Bruins try to win on Canadien ice. It’s the kind of away game that always feels bigger than the calendar says it should.
Another can’t-miss trip comes Dec. 13 in Raleigh against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Bruins were eliminated by Carolina in last season’s Stanley Cup playoffs, and the Canes went on to win the Cup. That alone makes this rematch stand out on the schedule.
The Florida Panthers come to the fore on Dec. 8.
The matchup has plenty of familiar names packed into one lineup, including the Tkachuk brothers, the two Sams - Reinhart and Bennett - and defensemen Radko and Ekblad. Add former Bruins Brad Marchand, Johnny Beecher, and Garnet Hathaway, and there’s plenty there to keep this one lively.
On Oct. 13, Boston heads to San Jose to face the Sharks, who became a more intriguing opponent after beating the Bruins last March and setting a franchise record of their own.
The Sharks also set a team mark for the most points gathered from players 23 years old or younger in a season, finishing with 264. Macklin Celebrini is still the headliner there, and the source material points to a young player who has already piled up 152 game points, 70 goals, and 108 assists in just two NHL seasons.
Then there’s Jan. 16 against the New York Rangers, which brings Joonas Korpisalo back into the picture. Korpisalo was traded to the Rangers in July for a 2028 4th round pick and forward prospect winger Kalle Vaisanen.
He had served as Jeremy Swayman’s backup for the past two seasons in Boston, and last season he finished 14-9-6 with a 0.894 save percentage and a 3.15 goals-against average. Korpisalo had made it clear in the 2025 offseason that he wanted a bigger role, saying, “Kudos to Sway, he was the driving force of our team.
And like I said, my part was to chip in and do my part whenever I had the chance to play.” That reunion in October should have a little edge to it.
However fans choose to map out the season, these are the road dates that jump off the page. The Bruins will have plenty of support at home, but these away games are the ones that feel built for black-and-gold noise in the stands.
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