By: Jake Ferraro | Follow me on Twitter/X @18Jxxx18
Entering the 2026-27 National Hockey League season, the Boston Bruins have tremendous pressure on them. The Bruins will have to show that last season’s return to the playoffs wasn’t a fluke in a competitive Eastern Conference. On Sept. 29, the Bruins begin the season at home at TD Garden against the New York Rangers, with excitement in the air.
Getting off to a hot start early in a season can help set a tone for how good a team can be. In the first 14 games of the Bruins’ season, the Bruins will be home for six of them. Last season, the Bruins’ 29 home wins were tied for the most in the NHL with the Carolina Hurricanes. There’s an early part of the Bruins’ schedule that can certainly help the team set a good tone for the season by playing to their advantage at home. After the Bruins play the St. Louis Blues on the road on Oct. 29, they will have a 14-game stretch in which they will be home for 12 of them.
14-Game Stretch Following Oct. 29
Oct. 31 vs Chicago Blackhawks
Nov. 2 vs Vegas Golden Knights
Nov. 5 @ Pittsburgh Penguins
Nov. 8 vs Florida Panthers
Nov. 12 vs Montreal Canadiens
Nov. 14 vs Minnesota Wild
Nov. 17 vs Los Angeles Kings
Nov. 18 @ Detroit Red Wings
Nov. 21 vs Washington Capitals
Nov. 25 vs Winnipeg Jets
Nov. 27 vs Toronto Maple Leafs
Nov. 29 vs Vancouver Canucks
Dec. 1 vs Colorado Avalanche
Dec. 5 vs Detroit Red Wings
At first glance, it seems the Bruins have a tough stretch during the 14 games. Six of the 13 teams on the Bruins’ schedule made the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including the defending Western Conference champion Vegas Golden Knights and last season’s Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche. Despite missing the 2026 playoffs, the Panthers are heavily discussed as an Eastern Conference favorite for 2027.
However, this part of the schedule favors the Bruins more than people may think. One immediate point to note is that there is only one back-to-back on the schedule: the Bruins host the Kings, followed by an away game in Detroit. Not having multiple back-to-backs can help the Bruins play their star goaltender, Jeremy Swayman, as much as possible. While playing against the Avalanche is always difficult, the Dec. 1 game is Patrice Bergeron’s jersey retirement, so the Bruins have extra motivation to play well. Adding in more motivation and momentum on their side, the Bruins defeated the Avalanche at home last season. The Bruins also defeated the Golden Knights at home last season.
Of the seven Western Conference teams on the schedule during the stretch, the Bruins defeated six of them last season at home. The only loss was to the Canucks, and it was in a shootout, which helped the Bruins earn one crucial point. The Bruins play the Red Wings twice during the stretch. Last season, the Bruins won three of the four meetings against the Red Wings. Last season against the Penguins, the Bruins earned five of a possible six points. While the Bruins’ lone loss to the Penguins was in overtime in Pittsburgh, Pavel Zacha sparkled in the game by recording a hat trick. The Bruins have two road games during the stretch, at Pittsburgh and at Detroit, but both games are winnable.
Last season, the Bruins split their four-game season series against the Canadiens and lost two of the three games to the Maple Leafs. Despite being swept in their three-game season series by the Panthers, the Bruins bounced back by sweeping all three games against the Capitals.
The first eight games can remain uncertain for the Bruins, considering Charlie McAvoy’s six-game suspension to begin the season. However, if the Bruins play solid and are somewhere around .500 after the Oct. 29 game, with 12 home games over the next 14, after being tied for the most home wins in the league last season, it’s a big way to get ahead early in the Eastern Conference standings. Teams play strongly at home to get wins and earn two pivotal points, and the Bruins’ play at home last season was so crucial for the team’s playoff push. Early in the season, the Bruins have a chance to make their mark and be a strong early contender in the Eastern Conference.
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