The 2023 NHL Winter Classic is a truly sensational matchup

Anybody who has ever experienced an NHL Winter Classic in person will never question the league doing it year after year. It will never get old and presents an opportunity to celebrate this amazing game on a national scale. Seeing two teams take it outside is always incredible.

This year, it is a truly sensational matchup as the Boston Bruins will take on the Pittsburgh Penguins at Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. This is an amazing venue with two amazing teams.

For one, both of these teams are good enough to be competing for a playoff berth in the NHL’s Eastern Conference.

The Penguins are more of a bubble team while the Bruins are one of the league’s big-time powers. Both teams enter every year thinking they can win the Stanley Cup.

The 2023 NHL Winter Classic is going to be incredibly entertaining this year.

Pittsburgh Penguins

For the last 15-plus years, the Pittsburgh Penguins have started and ended with their two stars, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

Sidney Crosby is the best of the two and one of the five best players in the history of the NHL. Stanley Cups, MVPs, Playoff MVPs, goal-scoring titles, point-scoring titles, and everything else in between are on his mantle.

He enters this game with 536 goals and 916 assists for 1452 points. Becoming the NHL’s second all-time leading scorer is well within his reach if he keeps playing well. At 35 years old, he is on his way to another 100-point season this year.

As for Evgeni Malkin, there was a point when he was the second-best player in the NHL only behind Crosby. He is a top-20 player who ever lived that also deserves his respect. Without him, Crosby would not have had the team success that he has.

Obviously, the Penguins are going to come into this game as the underdogs but they have what it takes to win a big game like this. Other great players like Jake Guentzel, Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Jeff Carter amongst others will try to make an impact.

Triston Jarry is going to start in goal for them and he has been fantastic all season long. He is going to need to be on his game if he wants to stop an opponent like this.

Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins sit atop the NHL’s overall standings. They still haven’t lost a home game in regulation which is absolutely incredible.

David Pastrnak, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and Charlie McAvoy are the stars but players like Taylor Hall, Hampus Lindholm, and David Krejci are there to lead the way in terms of depth. This is an amazing team that only has a couple more chances with this core as is.

Linus Ullmark will get the start in goal for the Bruins. He has been, like Jarry, sensational all season long. This is going to make for a great goaltending matchup.

These Bruins are hard on the puck, very physical, and amazing at turning defense into offense through transition.

If they get the puck in the offensive zone, they become extra dangerous because of all the skill they have upfront. Even their bottom six can take advantage of sustained pressure with regularity.

The Matchup:

This Winter Classic has it all. Special players, special goaltenders, and two teams so rich in history. Each team’s captain and one of the alternate captains have been Stanley Cup champions. It is a matchup loaded with stories to watch and enough skill to bring people out of their seats.

This is also the most historic baseball venue in history. Red Sox legends like Ted Williams, Pedro Martinez, and David Ortiz amongst others have called this place home.

Seeing guys like Zdeno Chara and Bobby Orr participate in the festivities will be so amazing. Again, this is truly a special matchup at a special place. Lots of people will reminisce and sports fans won’t forget this one anytime soon.

If there was ever a time to tune into the NHL Winter Classic, it would be always but this year especially. Hopefully, both teams put on a show.