Season Opening NHL Predictions

Three months later, we see the Stanley Cup winner losing on opening night of the NHL season and the Cup loser winning.

The defending champion Bruins open at home against a re-tooled Philadelphia team. The roster overhaul in Philly has been well-documented and there are lots of angles and motivations pointing a Flyer win, which is our NHL free pick today.

The Bruins have Cup hangover, will be very full of themselves in raising the Cup banner to the rafters. The Flyers, who were swept by the Bruins in the playoffs, will be pissed off waiting around and ready to prove things are different in 2011-2012.

Boston is 7-1 past 8 against Philly, but that was a different Flyer team and the road team here shapes up as good underdog value at Bodog.

NHL Prediction: Take the Flyers at Boston

The Cup runners-up also open at home and the motivations again point to them winning their season debut against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

For starters, they want to show fans that 2012 will have more of the same winning that characterized 2011. The absence of injured Ryan Kesler doesn't help, but it shouldn't matter.

On the Penguins side, they have built-in reason to not win here as captain Sid Crosby will not play due to the much-discussed concussion from last season.

Pittsburgh has only beaten the Canucks twice since 2000 (a 2-7 run).

NHL Pick: Vancouver on the puckline

Thursday's other opener features Canada's biggest franchises as the Canadiens visit the Leafs. This one is a gong show to predict, with Toronto overhauling in strange fashion and the Habs still looking undersized.

Good luck with your picks.