E.J. Hradek Game Picks Tuesday October 8th:

Colorado Avalanche vs Toronto Maple Leafs - Avalanche

Phoenix Coyotes vs New York Islanders - Islanders

Florida Panthers vs Philadelphia Flyers - Flyers

Carolina Hurricanes vs Pittsburgh Penguins - Penguins

Tampa Bay Lightning vs Buffalo Sabres - Lightning

Minnesota Wild vs Nashville Predators - Predators

New Jersey Devils vs Vancouver Canucks - Canucks

New York Rangers vs San Jose Sharks - Sharks

E.J.'s Season Record: 17-5-0

NASHVILLE -- For the first time this season, the Nashville Predators will pair rookie defenseman Seth Jones, the fourth pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, with captain and two-time Norris Trophy finalist Shea Weber.

The move was necessitated by the concussion that Roman Josi, Weber's usual partner, suffered on Friday against the Colorado Avalanche. Jones had started out the season on the Predators' third pair with fellow rookie Mattias Ekholm.

With the loss of Josi in the game on Friday, Jones ended up playing 25:46, the most minutes of any Predator. While Nashville has lost each of its first two games, Jones has nonetheless managed to finish on the plus side in each and enters the team's home opener at Bridgestone Arena against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday with a plus-2 rating.

There are eight games Tuesday night in the NHL and we'll have them all covered on NHL Live at 5 p.m. ET on NHL Network. Craig Berube will coach his first game in Philadelphia as the Flyers face the Florida Panthers, and we'll get a live report via our NHL Arena Cam and show warm-ups of the four early games in our Ice Pass.

Plus we'll have a full preview of the highly anticipated game in Vancouver between the Canucks and Devils. Cory Schneider makes his return to Rogers Arena after a stunning loss Monday night in Edmonton, which saw Martin Brodeur and the Devils allow four third-period goals in a 5-4 shootout loss. Now, Schneider faces his former team, winners of eight of the last 10 meetings with the Devils since 2001-2002. Roberto Luongo has won four in a row against New Jersey. It's the first of two meetings this month between the Devils and Canucks and you can watch it tonight on NHL Network at 10 p.m. ET.

Remember to submit your #AskEJ questions through Twitter via @NHLNetwork or @EJHradek_NHL, and join the conversation on twitter as we ask you to pick the game of the night.

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes will face each other Tuesday as members of the Metropolitan Division for the first time, but former Penguin Jordan Staal and former Hurricane Brandon Sutter are treating it like any other game.

Pittsburgh traded Staal to Carolina in June 2012 for Sutter, the eighth pick of the 2012 NHL Draft (which the Penguins used to select defenseman Derrick Pouliot) and defenseman Brian Dumoulin.

Staal spent his first six seasons in Pittsburgh, scoring 248 points in 431 games and staking claim to the Penguins' third-line center role behind Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The trio of Crosby, Malkin and Staal gave Pittsburgh one of the NHL's deepest rosters down the middle.

BUFFALO -- The Buffalo Sabres look to snap their three-game losing streak to start the season against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, and they're getting Marcus Foligno back in the lineup to help out.

Foligno will start on the Sabres' second line alongside a pair of familiar faces in Tyler Ennis and Drew Stafford. Two seasons ago, this trio was one of the best lines in the NHL. Sabres coach Ron Rolston said he's looking to see some players start to jell together.

"He can provide a lot of energy for us, so we're looking for that tonight and a physical element out of him," he said. "It's just finding the chemistry on lines, and I think [Foligno]'s a guy that can make space for guys for us and get to the net. Those are some of the things we've been struggling with."

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- Right wing Cal Clutterbuck is very close to making his debut with the New York Islanders, but it won't happen Tuesday night against the Phoenix Coyotes at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Clutterbuck suffered a lacerated leg during a preseason game against the Calgary Flames on Sept. 17. Originally slated to miss 4-6 weeks, Clutterbuck could be in the lineup as early as Friday night, when the Islanders visit the Chicago Blackhawks.

"I could probably play today," Clutterbuck said after skating Tuesday morning. "But I think just in talking it over with the medical staff and the coaches, it's just probably better that I be more prudent at this point. I've lost two games, three tonight. In the grand of scheme of things, 82 games plus playoffs, I think it's maybe a little bit smarter to miss an extra one versus missing some more down the road."

It may be just one week into the 2013-14 NHL season, but there is palpable buzz in Toronto as the Colorado Avalanche come to town to face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. Both teams come into the game undefeated and Toronto will be looking to build on a hot start that has seen the team win its first three games.

While Toronto's three wins have all come in close games, Colorado has won its two games by a combined score of 9-2 and has yet to trail this season.

One game after their 7-0 loss at the St. Louis Blues, it appears the Florida Panthers will face the Philadelphia Flyers with almost the same lineup.

According to the Miami Herald, the only change based on the team's morning skate at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia appears to be Drew Shore replacing Krys Barch at right wing on Scott Gomez’s line.

It appears Tim Thomas will make the start in net, one game after allowing five goals on 28 shots in two periods. In eight career regular season games in Philadelphia, Thomas is 8-0 with a 1.86 goals-against average and .947 save percentage. He's allowed 15 goals in those eight games. 

VOORHEES, N.J. -- New Philadelphia Flyers coach Craig Berube began to put his imprint on the team at the morning skate Tuesday, juggling his top three lines.

Wayne Simmonds was moved to right wing on the top line, joining center Claude Giroux and left wing Scott Hartnell. Simmonds had spent the first three games on Vincent Lecavalier’s line, but Lecavalier will have Brayden Schenn at left wing and Jakub Voracek on the right.

The third line features Sean Couturier centering left Maxime Talbot and right wing Matt Read.

LOS ANGELES -- Ryan Callahan didn't need much of a morning skate in anticipation of his season debut. The New York Rangers captain was among the first off the ice at Staples Center and it's not difficult to imagine he's ready for action.

"I think any first game of the year you're amped up and excited to get out there, but that's something you have to control and I think once I get that first shift or that first hit out of the way then I'll settle in," Callahan said.

Callahan had surgery in May to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder and was not able to play any preseason games. He is expected to be on the third line with Taylor Pyatt and Brian Boyle when the Rangers play the Los Angeles Kings.