NHL 23 sim prediction: Who will win the 2023 Winter Classic?
The 2023 NHL Winter Classic is set to take place on January 2, 2023, at Fenway Park in Boston Massachusetts between the Boston Bruins and the Pittsburgh Penguins. This will mark the 14th Winter Classic in NHL history.
The Boston Bruins come into this game as the best team in the NHL with a record of 28-4-3 (59 points) and currently sit atop the Atlantic Division. On the other side of the ice are a very hot Pittsburgh Penguins team. The Penguins started the 2022-2023 NHL season out slow but have been playing some of their best hockey of the season so far and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The Pittsburgh Penguins are 19-10-6 (44 points) and currently sit at 3rd place in the Metropolitan Division.
While the Winter Classic isn’t available in NHL 23, the video game is a great tool to see who has the edge in this battle.
Comparing Offenses
When you look at both the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins Offense, you will immediately notice that there are Hall of Fame players on both teams. These teams have tremendous offenses which have the potential to treat a lot of fans on January 2.
The Boston Bruins offense is going to be led by David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, and Patrice Bergeron. David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand are both 91 Overalls in NHL 23 and Patrice Bergeron came into NHL 23 as an 89 Overall. An 89 Overall for Patrice Bergeron marked his lowest rating in an NHL video game since NHL 18. However, all three of these players have been doing damage for the Boston Bruins.
- David Pastrnak: 35 games played, 24 goals, 24 assists, 48 points (91 Overall in NHL 23)
- Patrice Bergeron: 35 games played, 14 goals, 15 assists, 29 points (91 Overall in NHL 23)
- Brad Marchand: 27 games played, 9 goals, 19 assists, 28 points (89 Overall in NHL 23)
It is no secret that this Boston Bruins team is a very tough team to play against. You have this three-headed beast on offense, but their offense is so evenly distributed that you have to also worry about guys such as Jake DeBrusk and David Krejci. The Bruins also have the best goal differential in the NHL as well at a +57, so there is no secret that their offense tends to show up every single game.
The Pittsburgh Penguins will have some offense to counter of their own. Led by Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel, and Evgeni Malkin, these are three athletes that know how to win big games. Both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin won three Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Jake Guentzel won one with the Penguins in 2017. Sidney Crosby is the highest rated Penguin in NHL 23 with a 93 Overall rating, followed by Evgeni Malkin with a 90 Overall, and Guentzel with an 87 Overall. This three-headed beast for the Penguins have been very productive this season and the main reason why this team has gotten so hot over the past month.
- Sidney Crosby: 35 games played, 19 goals, 24 assists, 43 points (93 Overall in NHL 23)
- Jake Guentzel: 31 games played, 15 goals, 18 assists, 33 points (90 Overall in NHL 23)
- Evgeni Malkin: 35 games played, 11 goals, 22 assists, 33 points (87 Overall in NHL 23)
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a little more top-heavy in terms of their offense and their production isn’t as spread out as the Boston Bruins. However, the above three players have the opportunity to sway the 2023 Winter Classic in the Penguins’ favor at any given moment.