Bruins Dates Highlight 2025-26 National NHL TV Rollout
Brad Marchand's October return to Boston is one of several highlights
The Boston Bruins will take center stage on the NHL’s national broadcast schedule with Brad Marchand’s long-awaited return to TD Garden.
Marchand and the Florida Panthers come to Boston on Oct. 21, one of ESPN’s early season spotlight games.
The night is expected to feature a tribute to Marchand’s 15-year run with the Bruins, when he helped raise the Stanley Cup in 2011 and became one of the most recognizable faces in franchise history.
His reception will also carry a competitive edge, with Florida arriving as the two-time defending champion and Marchand now chasing wins against the team he once captained.
The national package is loaded with storylines, with 172 regular-season games spread across ABC, ESPN, ESPN+, Hulu and TNT Sports.
Boston figures prominently throughout, including an outdoor showcase against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series on Feb. 1 in Tampa. The Bruins also return to one of their traditional marquee slots, hosting the New York Rangers on Nov. 28 in the Thanksgiving Showdown at TD Garden, a matinee carried nationally by TNT.
Beyond Boston’s dates, the league’s broadcast partners will highlight opening week with banner ceremonies, Original Six clashes and a Winter Classic in Miami.
The calendar also circles back after the Olympic break with a nationally televised doubleheader on Feb. 26. Fans will be able to stream every game through ESPN platforms, with more than 1,000 out-of-market matchups on NHL Power Play.
Marchand’s return, though, remains the night Bruins fans will anticipate most.
After passing on a tribute video last spring, his first shift back on Garden ice promises to be a moment that lingers well past the final horn.
