Boston Bruins Would ‘Welcome Opportunity’ to Play Outdoor Game at Gillette Stadium

Could the Boston Bruins be bringing an NHL game to Foxborough in the near future?

Maybe.

Boston Bruins president Cam Neely appeared on 98.5 The Sports Hub's Felger and Mazz afternoon program Tuesday to talk hockey. Among the topics discussed was an article originated from TheFourthPeriod.com reporting the NHL is considering adding multiple outdoor games in addition to the annual Winter Classic as early as the 2013-14 season.

"According to multiple well-placed sources, the NHL is planning on having not one, but several additional outdoor games in 2014, a series of outdoor games, if you will, which will begin with the Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor [between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings]," TheFourthPeriod.com reports.

The most likely venues for 2013-14 in addition to Michigan, according to TheFourthPeriod.com, are Yankee Stadium in New York, Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and the Heritage Classic in either Vancouver or Edmonton.

While the preliminary list did not include the Bruins as a host team for an outdoor game next season, radio hosts Michael Felger and Tony Massarotti asked Neely Tuesday about the team's possibility of playing a game at Gillette Stadium during a future hockey season.

Neely admitted he "knew nothing" about the Bruins' chances of hosting an outdoor game during a future NHL season but did say the organization would "be excited" to play in Foxborough if given the opportunity.

"We would certainly welcome it if we had the opportunity to [play at Gillette Stadium]," Neely said. "I think it was certainly a great experience at Fenway."

The Bruins hosted the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park in Boston on January 1, 2010, enjoying tremendous success as the NHL's highest rated regular season game of the year.

While not citing a specific venue, Neely did say that more space at a venue like Gillette Stadium would allow the organization to do a lot more things during the event.

"I think just the opportunities that we could do as an organization at a different venue, especially with more space outside the actual venue [would]  able [us] to do a lot more things … primarily youth [hockey]. It would be exciting to try."

Listen to the full interview by clicking here.

The NHL's Winter Classic began in 2008 at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo between the Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins. Since its inception, the Winter Classic has been held in two NFL stadiums (Ralph Wilson Field and Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pa.). The 2012 Winter Classic in Philadelphia was hoped to be held at Lincoln Financial Field (home of the Philadelphia Eagles) but the team had a home game the day before the Classic so the event was moved to Chase Field (home of the MLB's Philadelphia Phillies).

This year's Winter Classic was cancelled due to the NHL lockout and has been rescheduled for next season at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.