Will the Boston Bruins Remain the Team to Beat?

The 2011-2012 NHL Regular Season is less than 48 hours away and hockey fans all over North America are gearing up for the big season ahead. Arguably, no fans are MORE excited than those of the Boston Bruins.

As the regular season launches into full swing this Thursday, October 6th, Boston Bruins fans will be paying especially close attention to the featured game of opening night: Will the Bruins be a force to be reckoned with again this year? Or will the excitement and potentially-inflated egos of a Stanley Cup Championship win interfere with their competitive edge?

Still riding their high from the first championship win for the Boston team since 1972, the jury is out on what we can expect from the Eastern Conference powerhouse this season.

So far, in the pre-season, Boston has come out with 3 wins; one against the New York Islanders and two against Montreal. On the flip side, they’ve also had 2 losses: both in one point games against Ottawa.

The premier matchup on opening night is of course between the Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers, another Eastern Conference favorite who was knocked out of the running for the 2011 Stanley Cup in the Conference Semi-finals by the Bruins.

The “experts” have certainly weighed in with their opinions about the upcoming season. But what are your predictions? Who do you think will take home the honor and the title of “Stanley Cup Champions” at the end of the 2011-2012 season? Weigh-in in the comments below!