Scouting Reports

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.

How They'll Finish

EASTERN CONFERENCE

ATLANTIC DIVISION SI'S RANKING

1. New Jersey Devils* 3
2. Philadelphia Flyers* 6
3. New York Islanders* 18
4. New York Rangers 19
5. Pittsburgh Penguins 30

NORTHEAST DIVISION

1. Ottawa Senators* 1
2. Boston Bruins* 10
3. Toronto Maple Leafs* 13
4. Buffalo Sabres 20
5. Montreal Canadiens 23

SOUTHEAST DIVISION

1. Tampa Bay Lightning* 15
2. Washington Capitals* 16
3. Carolina Hurricanes 21
4. Florida Panthers 27
5. Atlanta Thrashers 28

WESTERN CONFERENCE

CENTRAL DIVISION

1. Detroit Red Wings* 2
2. St. Louis Blues* 8
3. Nashville Predators 22
4. Columbus Blue Jackets 25
5. Chicago Blackhawks 26

NORTHWEST DIVISION

1. Colorado Avalanche* 4
2. Vancouver Canucks* 5
3. Minnesota Wild* 12
4. Edmonton Oilers 14
5. Calgary Flames 24

PACIFIC DIVISION

1. Dallas Stars* 7
2. Anaheim Mighty Ducks* 9
3. Los Angeles Kings* 11
4. San Jose Sharks 17
5. Phoenix Coyotes 29

*Playoff Team

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Ottawa over New Jersey

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Detroit over Colorado

STANLEY CUP CHAMPION
Ottawa over Detroit

The SI team rankings, which rate the clubs from 1 to 30 in six
categories, were compiled by Pierre McGuire, who also wrote the
Insider Notes with each scouting report.

SI.com
NHL scores, schedules, breaking news and analysis all season at
si.com/hockey

COLOR PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JEFFVINNICK/GETTY IMAGES SITTING DUCK Vancouver's Matt Cooke (visor) and Trevor Lindencelebrate after Cooke's shot beat Minnesota's Manny Fernandez forthe tying goal with 1.2 seconds left in Game 1 of their playoffseries last April. Look for the Canucks and Wild to return to the postseason next spring.