NHL Season Preview Our resident expert on the NHL takes a look at the Stanley Cup futures markets for the pro ice hockey 2003-04 season.

A LOOK AT 2004 STANLEY CUP FUTURES

The 2003-04 NHL season is finally here, and while the threat of a strike or lockout may put the season in jeopardy, nevertheless we have to analyze the viability of betting the NHL futures markets. Last season's playoffs were one of the best in recent memory, and despite the rampant spending by Detroit, Dallas, and Colorado, teams with much lesser payrolls fared quite well.

A few key players have shifted teams but for the most part the core contenders remain pretty much unchanged since last season. Holdouts look large for a couple of last year's playoff contenders. Here's a list of value plays in the Stanley Cup futures.

BEST BETS

OTTAWA 10/1 - A heartbreaking overtime goal cost this talented team a trip to the Finals. Let us not forget they had the best record in the league last season and return pretty much intact. Despite the holdout of LW Martin Havlat, this team is loaded with talent and it may mean more ice time for star-in-training Jason Spezza. The boys are another year older and wiser. This may be their year...finally.

ANAHEIM 18/1 - Many analysts, this writer included, could scarcely believe what we saw from the Ducks in the Playoffs last season. This team was one game away from winning the Cup and with odds being offered at 18-1 there is value here. The addition of C Sergei Fedorov more than makes up for the loss of LW Paul Kariya and C Adam Oates. Look for 2nd year RW Stanislav Chistov to have a big year if he gets paired up with Sergei. G JS Giguere, MVP of the playoffs despite being on the losing side, will have to prove last year was no fluke. He's looked pretty strong in the preseason.

BOSTON 25/1 - The Bruins took a big step signing free agent G Felix Potvin. If the 'Cat's brief resurgence with the Kings (before a rash of team injuries took them out of contention) can continue he'll do well in Beantown with Boston's stronger defense. While the team lacks some depth offensively their top two lines are as good as any in the game. The return of LW Sergei Samsonov, who was injured early last season, will provide some relief to a team that relied on the top line to carry them all last season.

OTHER TEAMS AND NOTES

COLORADO (7-2), of course, with perhaps the finest group of forwards ever assembled on one team that wasn't an All-Star team, is a legitimate favorite for the Cup. The big, big question is can G David Aebischer fill the huge shoes left by the retirement of Patrick Roy. It's a lot to ask of the young man despite all the talent in front of him. Not a good value at the offered odds.

MINNESOTA (22-1) The stock of the Wild goes up a lot if they are able to sign holdout F Marian Gaborik, their leading scorer. Without him it is doubtful the young upstarts can repeat their scintillating perfomance in last year's playoffs when they upset two very good teams in Colorado and Vancouver before running into the juggernaut known as the Mighty Ducks. Wouldn't play them at this price now, but should Gaborik sign, act quickly and you could be rewarded come June.

TORONTO (18-1) The Canadian version of the New York Rangers, they put a talented team on the ice but can't seem to put it together. The Leafs downfall tends to be lack of discipline as they most certainly lead the team in "stupid penalties". Strong and deep, they might be worth a few quid at the going rate. Someday...

DETROIT (9-2) Hard to like at the low odds, the Red Wings made a couple of key moves in the offseason, picking up free agent D Derian Hatcher and regaining G Dominic Hasek who had retired after the 2001-2002 season. Hatcher adds some toughness to an already strong defensive corps and Hasek is even an improvement over the not-to-shabby-himself Curtis Joseph. Wings forwards are a nice mix of rising stars (C Pavel Datsyk, F Henrik Zetterberg) and aging future Hall of Famers (Brett Hull, Steve Yzerman) and may have just the right mix. The odds are fair, but not great.

Next time, we'll take a look at some up and coming stars.