Philadelphia, PA (My Sportsbook) - After two seasons in which the Stanley Cup champion was all but a foregone conclusion before the playoffs began, the 2003 tournament opens with a healthy level of parity.

Three teams managed 110 points or more, while four more reached the century mark. There may be a 30-point gap between the first and eighth seeds in the East, but the low club in the West enters with a very respectable 92 points.

There are, of course, the usual suspects in the Red Wings, Avalanche, and Stars, but at the same time we have a pair of Canadian teams, the Senators and Canucks, who have gone from mid-level to elite status in the span of a year. The Minnesota Wild became the first in the recent wave of expansion teams to qualify for the playoffs, while the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim are back in the fold for the first time in four years.

So here's a look at each club of the 2003 playoff field, in order of seed.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

OTTAWA SENATORS - The Sens shed their stigma of being soft chokers to some extent last spring, but the temperature gauge in the pressure cooker has just spiked. The 113 points they earned to take home the Presidents' Trophy means they're "expected to win now." On paper the club seems to be flawless in all aspects of the game, but there's still that yearning to question its internal make-up. Starting with the NY Islanders, teams are going to try to push Ottawa around and find its breaking point, but the hope is that the presence of guys like Rob Ray and Chris Neil can counteract that.

Realistically speaking... The Senators have the tremendous balance needed to win the Stanley Cup, but it wouldn't be entirely shocking to see them fall on their face in the first round either.

NEW JERSEY DEVILS - The offseason hiring of Pat Burns as head coach has had the desired effect, as the three-time Jack Adams Award winner has the Devils playing their traditional suffocating brand of defensive hockey. Offense is another story, as New Jersey will enter the postseason as the worst attacking club in the Eastern Conference field now that Philadelphia has Tony Amonte in its arsenal. But one goal is all it may take on some nights, as Martin Brodeur is playing at a level that has garnered him significant Hart Trophy buzz.

Realistically speaking... Even with Brodeur's play taken into consideration, the Devs will still need to simply outscore the opposition on occasion. And without a 40-goal sniper to turn to, someone, whether it is Patrik Elias, Jeff Friesen or Jamie Langenbrunner, needs to get hot and carry the mantle. If that occurs, the Devils could find themselves at their third Cup Finals in four years. years.

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING - With their first-ever division championship in hand, the Lightning enter the playoffs much like Carolina did a year ago. Except this club is better all-around, especially in goal where Nikolai Khabibulin hopes to finally put together a playoff run, something he could never do in Winnipeg or Phoenix. With a significant number of rejects on the roster, the Lightning have made a habit of proving people wrong and the postseason will be business as usual.

Realistically speaking... If they catch a couple breaks, meaning an upset or two above them, like the Hurricanes did last season the Bolts can make their own improbable run to the Finals. Is that likely? No, although this club can definitely win a round and give someone a headache in the second.

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS - The facelift that centered around the acquisition of Amonte has the Flyers in a position they haven't been in for some time. Rather than beating teams with a grind-out, cycle down-low style Philly actually has the ability to open things up every so often, while at the same time playing the structured Ken Hitchcock way. Hitch's system, along with top- notch goaltending from Roman Cechmanek, helped the team finish tied for the league lead in goals-against.

Realistically speaking... The Flyers will have to get over the hump of winning a round, as they've been quarterfinal victims four of the last five years. They're in for a war with Toronto in Round 1, but if they can get through it, while banged up physically they'll be, Hitchcock's troops may be lifted psychologically. Philadelphia is one of the five Eastern teams I believe can legitimately reach the Finals.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS - Pat Quinn spent the time leading up to the March 11 trade deadline beefing up his veteran presence with the hope of ending the team's post-expansion Cup drought. Owen Nolan was the most pivotal of the acquisitions made, and he gives the team a third cog to complement Mats Sundin and Alex Mogilny. We cannot, of course, forget goaltender Ed Belfour, who doesn't have a spectacular defense in front of him but does have that Stanley Cup pedigree. And what the Leafs lack in speed and firepower, they make up for with grit and nastiness.

Realistically speaking... The Leafs have made thuggery fashionable again, and they advanced to the conference finals in 2002 by brutalizing the opposition with sheer determination. They may need those traits again to advance that far.

WASHINGTON CAPITALS - Under the guidance of rookie head coach Bruce Cassidy, the Capitals have made it back into the postseason after a one-year absence, finally earning some return for their acquisition of Jaromir Jagr. However, a wrist injury suffered by Jagr last month raises issues considering he hasn't been the same since. He is expected to play through the discomfort, but there's no telling what kind of impact the ailment will have.

Realistically speaking... Washington won't be around long if its 28th-ranked penalty killing unit can't stop a very solid Tampa Bay power play in the opening round. A trip to even the third round might be possible if Olaf Kolzig catches fire, but given the depth of the East this year I can't see the Caps advancing beyond that point.

BOSTON BRUINS - Led by captain Joe Thornton and Glen Murray, the Bruins can put the puck in the net. The only problem is they have a tendency of letting it in as well. Error-prone defense and very average goaltending have plagued Boston all campaign, and we don't even know who will start in net for Game 1 against New Jersey. Either Jeff Hackett or Steve Shields will receive the nod, but neither is particularly frightening.

Realistically speaking... Thankfully the B's did draw the offense-poor Devils in the first round, so all hope is not lost. However, gaining a lead is imperative for Boston, as Mike O'Connell's club must prevent New Jersey from tightening up and leaving the game in the hands of Brodeur in the third period.

NEW YORK ISLANDERS - If there's one team that could use a pick-me-up heading into the playoffs, it's the Isles. Peter Laviolette's club limps in after a 2-5-1 mark in its final eight games, and was nearly overtaken by the rival Rangers for the eighth spot in the East. The one player who did thrive down the stretch was Alexei Yashin, who will face his former club in the Ottawa Senators and needs to build on last year's solid playoff showing.

Realistically speaking... New York must draw on the experience from its 2002 series against Toronto, which tested both its pain threshold and mettle. Taking it to the Senators physically might be the Isles' only hope. Otherwise we may see a quick exit.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

DALLAS STARS - Led by rookie benchman Dave Tippett, the Stars finished with the best record in the West after missing out on the playoffs a season ago. Goaltender Marty Turco is the club's backbone, having finished with a modern- day NHL record 1.72 goals-against average, but this will be his first taste of postseason play. The Stars do have some key injuries to speak of in Bill Guerin, Pierre Turgeon and Philippe Boucher.

Realistically speaking... If history is an indication, the Stars are in for a dogfight in the opening-round against Edmonton. But while the Oilers can make a series of it, they simply lack the firepower to solve Turco enough to advance. While Colorado and Detroit remain the teams to beat in my book, Dallas absolutely has the tools to lift its second Cup in five years.

DETROIT RED WINGS - One has to wonder if the aging Red Wings will ever hit that wall most believed they'd encounter last year. The veteran base, with Steve Yzerman back again, remains intact, and the club has been spurred by the play of youngsters like Pavel Datsyuk and rookie Henrik Zetterberg. The one unknown is whether or not Curtis Joseph, who is not Dominik Hasek, can get the Stanley Cup monkey off his back.

Realistically speaking... They should rid themselves of Anaheim rather easily in the first round, but after that it may get iffy. If things hold to form, the Wings may have to defeat both Colorado and Dallas to get the Finals, as opposed to last season when they essentially received a free pass in Round 2 versus St. Louis. If Detroit does repeat, it may have to trek through a very rocky road to the Cup.

COLORADO AVALANCHE - The Avs, with rookie coach Tony Granato, sizzled down the stretch, led by the super line of Peter Forsberg, Milan Hejduk and Alex Tanguay. The scary thing is that they played so well late without Joe Sakic- like production from their captain, and he may decide to catch fire as well. Colorado will also be backed by an ultra-motivated Patrick Roy, who will try to prove that the debacle of last year's Game 7 loss to Detroit was merely an aberration.

Realistically speaking... They were my pick to win it all before the season, and that remains the case.

VANCOUVER CANUCKS - The Canucks resided atop the Northwest Division for much of the season before finally yielding to the surging Avalanche on the season's final day. Vancouver does, of course, sport the best one-two goal-scoring punch in the NHL with Markus Naslund and Todd Bertuzzi, but to ensure playoff success, coach Marc Crawford will need help from his secondary lines. Another question mark is goalie Dan Cloutier, who has yet to prove he's a legitimate playoff netminder.

Realistically speaking... They won't catch anyone by surprise as they did a year ago against Detroit, but the Canucks can win a few rounds. However, the fact that they were caught by the Avs in the standings make you wonder if they have what it takes to get through three very tough series en route to the Finals.

ST. LOUIS BLUES - The Blues are armed and ready now that Chris Pronger and Keith Tkachuk have returned from injuries, but the team's situation in net remains a concern. They wanted but couldn't land Sean Burke at the deadline and settled for Chris Osgood, whose playoff showings have been sporadic since backing Detroit to the 1998 championship.

Realistically speaking... If St. Louis is to upset Vancouver, Joel Quenneville's club must play the same kind of tough neutral zone defense it utilized to oust Chicago in the '02 first round. The Canucks, of course, aren't the Blackhawks, though.

MINNESOTA WILD - There's a definite flaw in the system if Jacques Lemaire doesn't win the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year. The defensive guru's club has some talent, but not enough to accomplish what it did in just its third season. The Wild managed the second-highest point total by a third-year club in post-expansion history and are definitely the one team clubs hoped to avoid in the first round.

Realistically speaking... By trapping or using whatever other methods Lemaire has up his sleeve, the Wild will try to slow down the Colorado machine. Is that possible? Yes, for short increments of time -- maybe even enough to win a game or two in the series. Even if the Avs sweep Minny, it will by no means be easy.

MIGHTY DUCKS OF ANAHEIM - The Ducks are fresh off the best season in their history and hope to advance past the first round for the second time. Unfortunately they drew a Red Wings team that has swept them in two previous playoff meetings. With the additions of Petr Sykora and Adam Oates, Paul Kariya and the Anaheim attack is slightly above average, but the root of the team's success is defense and goaltending. Team record-setting netminder Jean-Sebastien Giguere may have to do some of the head-standing he did during the season if the Ducks hope to last against the Wings.

Realistically speaking... It has been a nice season in Duckland.

EDMONTON OILERS - The Oilers continued their tradition of salary dumping by trading away Janne Niinimaa and Anson Carter at the deadline, but they went an impressive 7-2-3-1 after the moves. That said, they sorely lack the firepower necessary to dent the armor of a defensive machine like the Stars. The only thing Edmonton has going for it is the playoff history with Dallas, as the Oilers have played the Stars relatively close in previous meetings.

Realistically speaking... The Oilers won't solve Turco often enough to win the four games necessary to move on.

WHEN THE DUST CLEARS

Eastern Conference champion - New Jersey Western Conference champion - Colorado Stanley Cup champion - Colorado Conn Smythe Trophy - Patrick Roy, Colorado