There are no rings to hand out and no banners to unveil, but the Bruins still have plenty to celebrate when they open their 100th NHL season Wednesday at TD Garden.
They will roll out the gold carpet for some Bruins legends before the game, followed by an opening ceremony, a raffle, and T-shirt giveaways. Wednesday is just the beginning of the festivities, however, as the team has special events planned throughout the season.
The Bruins are the first US-based NHL club and third overall to reach 100 years of play, following Montreal in 2009 and Toronto in 2017.
Here’s what you need to know if you’re headed to Causeway Street this season to celebrate alongside the Bruins.
Opening night
The Bruins welcome the Blackhawks to TD Garden Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., but there is plenty of fun to be had before the puck drops.
Legendary players will walk the gold carpet to kick off the festivities. Fans can catch a glimpse of their hockey heroes —
of which there are plenty — starting at 4:15 p.m. at the Hub on Causeway. Some of those legends will return to the ice for the pregame ceremony.
Inside the arena, fans will find T-shirts at each seat honoring the season-long theme of “Blood, Sweat & 100 Years.” The club already
unveiled its special-edition centennial jerseys in a fashion show at a JetBlue hangar at Logan Airport Sept. 16.
Though the puck drops at 7:30, fans should plan to be in their seats by 7.
Season-long celebrations
If you didn’t score tickets to the opener, do not fear. The celebrations will roll on all season.
The team will hold five “Era Nights,” each one celebrating players from iconic eras in team history. They will include a pregame ceremony, guest appearances, promotions, and more.
The first Era Night will be Oct. 28 against the Red Wings, honoring “The Early Years” from 1924-59. On Nov. 18, the Bruins will celebrate the 1960-76 “Big Bad Bruins” when they host the Canadiens. The 1977-85 “Lunch Pail AC” Era Night will be Dec. 16 against the Rangers, and the 1986-2000 “New Blood, New Beginnings” Era Night will be Jan. 20 against the Canadiens. The Era Nights will conclude March 7 against the Maple Leafs, when the “Return of a Champion” era (2001-present) is celebrated.
On Thursday, the team will host a black-tie gala at the Fairmont Copley Plaza to benefit the Boston Bruins Foundation, an event that will feature prominent alums as well as current players.
In November, the team will release a coffee-table book, “Blood, Sweat & 100 Years,” which is also the name of a marketing campaign that will launch Wednesday with the help of local ad agency GYK Antler.
Also in November, NESN will air the first episode of a four-part “docuseries” about Bruins history that will feature interviews with dozens of former and current players.
In early 2024, the Bruins will open Heritage Hall, a permanent exhibit on the second floor of TD Garden that will celebrate the franchise’s 100-year history, with a collection of artifacts as well as interactive exhibits.
And later next year, the team will host “100 Days of Hockey,” a series of community events such as hockey clinics and school visits across New England that will culminate on Dec. 1, 2024, the 100th anniversary of the club’s first game.
Still to be announced is when the commemorative bear sculpture by Harry Weber will be done and where it will stand. Weber also sculpted the Bobby Orr statue in front of TD Garden.
