Cold nights. Colored trees. Shorter days.

While each is rightly a depiction that fall is coming, they all also signal the arrival of something else: the start of the National Hockey League season.

On the back of a thrilling ride to their first Stanley Cup triumph in 39 years, fans of the Boston Bruins will be optimistic entering this season. While supporters said goodbye to retired right winger Mark Recchi, whose reliability will be missed, the Bs return the core of their championship squad.

Offensively, the Bruins have a potent and varied attack. Having scored 246 goals last season, the team has proved that they can light the lamp. Despite some criticism that the team lacks a true frontman—with co-leading scorers Milan Lucic and David Krecji only having 62 points apiece—fans should not be concerned, as right wing Nathan Horton and center Patrice Bergeron can score as well. Add in 19-year-old forward Tyler Seguin, who came on during the playoffs last year with three goals and four assists, and Boston combines potential with an already established offensive corps.

Boston's prowess in front of net, which ranked second in the league last year, wouldn't have been possible without a solid rearguard. Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg are two defenders who will send shivers down the spine of even the most composed forwards. Johnny Boychuk and Andrew Ference are more-than-capable back-liners in their own right, as well.

And while the aforementioned players are certainly integral to the team's watertight defense, it would be remiss to forget about goalkeeper Tim Thomas. The 37-year-old goalie broke the NHL record for save percentages last season, stopping 93.81 percent of the shots he faced in the regular season while blocking 94 percent in the postseason. Needless to say, Boston's backline is both fearsome and effective.

Of course the team's quest to defend its Stanley Cup won't come easily. Bitter rival Montreal pushed Boston to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, with the Canadiens losing to an overtime strike from Horton. However, Montreal's second-leading scorer, leftwing Mike Cammalleri, is ever-dangerous, especially against the Bs, racking up three goals and seven assists during his team's playoff series against Boston. Regardless of their early dismissal, the rivalry is as strong as ever. Don't count out the Canadiens; they'll be back with a vengeance.

In addition to the hated foes from the north, there is another rival who could dent the Bs' Cup hopes: the Philadelphia Flyers. The Bruins also enjoyed postseason success against the men from the City of Brotherly Love, dismissing the Flyers in four games in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. Despite the humiliation at the hands of its enemies, Philadelphia had a strong regular season last year, largely thanks to rightwing Claude Giroux, who amassed 88 points, 12 of which came in the playoffs. As the 23-year-old Giroux continues to adjust to the NHL, fans should watch out. He's done a lot already, and he'll do whatever he can to help derail Boston's title defense.

The Buffalo Sabres finished third in the Northeast Division standings, and possess a capable scorer in left-wing Thomas Vanek, who scored 78 points last season. Defenseman Tyler Myers also proved himself as a veritable offensive contributor, racking up 10 goals and 27 assists. After winning the Stanley Cup, the Bruins will have a target on their back. The Canadiens will be back for revenge. The Flyers will want some, too, as will the Canucks. And don't forget about the Sabres, who have been playing the role of dark horse all too well, as well as the Tampa Bay Lightning, who the Bruins faced in the conference finals. Though questions are already being raised in regard to Boston's ability to win back-to-back championships, only time will tell if the Bruins have what it takes.

Buckle up; it's going to be an icy ride. It all starts this Thursday, when the Bruins will take on the Flyers.