SI's 2003-04 NHL Scouting Reports

Detroit Red Wings G Dominik Hasek Damian Strohmeyer

HASEK RETURNS, JOINS RED WINGS! KARIYA AND SELANNE TOGETHER AGAIN! Alas, though, the most recurrent headline of the coming season will be NHL LABOR NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE. Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL Players' Association chief Bob Goodenow have until Sept. 15, 2004, to work out a collective-bargaining agreement, or a lockout is probable. The sticking point? The league wants, in Bettman's words, "cost certainty" (translation: salary cap); the union wants the status quo.

We won't try to predict how those negotiations will turn out, but here's how SI sees this season: the fabulous Avalanche, with Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne, will be the most exciting team to watch since the Pittsburgh Penguins of the early 1990s. But Dominik Hasek will lead the venerable Red Wings to the finals. Then the Ottawa Senators will turn back Detroit to win the Stanley Cup.

Click on any of the team names below to read a scouting report on each club.

Eastern Conference   Atlantic Division SI's ranking  1    Devils* 3  2    Flyers* 6  3    Islanders* 18  4    Rangers 19  5    Penguins 30 Northeast Division SI's ranking  1    Senators* 1  2    Bruins* 10  3    Maple Leafs* 13  4    Sabres 20  5    Canadiens 23 Southeast Division SI's ranking  1    Lightning* 15  2    Capitals* 16  3    Hurricanes 21  4    Panthers 27  5    Thrashers 28 Western Conference   Central Division SI's ranking  1    Red Wings * 2  2    Blues* 8  3    Predators 22  4    Blue Jackets 25  5    Blackhawks 26 Northwest Division SI's ranking  1    Avalanche* 4  2    Canucks* 5  3    Wild* 12  4    Oilers 14  5    Flames 24 Pacific Division SI's ranking  1    Stars* 7  2    Mighty Ducks* 9  3    Kings* 11  4    Sharks 17  5    Coyotes 29 Eastern Conference Finals Ottawa over New Jersey Western Conference Finals Detroit over Colorado Stanley Cup Finals Ottawa over Detroit *Playoff team The SI rankings, which rate the clubs from 1 to 30 in six categories, were compiled by Pierre Maguire, who also wrote the Insider Notes with each scouting report.