NHL 2023-24 Central Division Preview

The Colorado Avalanche once again captured the Central Division title last season, but were eliminated in the first round by the Seattle Kraken. The Dallas Stars made a deep run to the playoffs, reaching the Western Conference Finals, where they would fall in six games to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Vegas Golden Knights. Our NHL Central Division Preview will give you all the insight you need.

The Minnesota Wild and Winnipeg Jets reached the postseason, succumbing to first-round exits. The Chicago Blackhawks, now with first overall pick Connor Bedard, will continue their rebuilding efforts along with the Arizona Coyotes, the Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues are looking at their contending chances slip away, and if that door closes on them this season, those two squads could be starting from scratch after the year.

OPENING NIGHT

Colorado Avalanche (51-24-7, 109 Points)

⦁ Division Odds: +150
⦁ Conference Odds: +375
⦁ Stanley Cup Odds: +800
⦁ Season Points Projection: 106.5 (-115 each way)

Continuing along with our NHL Central Division Preview: The Colorado Avalanche had a rough go of things last season despite winning 51 games and clinching the division title. The Avs lost well over 300 man games last year, with injuries hampering such critical players as defensemen Cale Makar and Josh Manson, forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Valeri Nichushkin, and goaltender Pavel Francouz, who will most likely miss a significant portion of the 2023-24 Regular Season with hip issues. Gabriel Landeskog is another top player out for the year as he recovers from knee surgeries.

Most of those players will return in full health, and with a summer off, this Colorado team is a group that should hit the ice a lot fresher than they did at this time last year, defending their Stanley Cup title. Their biggest strength from that championship club was forward depth, which they acquired in the form of Miles Wood and veteran Tomas Tatar, both coming from New Jersey, and Ryan Johanson, who came over from Nashville.

The Blueliners all return to camp in good health, and goaltender Justus Annunen will take the #2 spot behind starter Alexandar Georgiev, who some feel was snubbed by Vezina Trophy voters.

The Avalanche are once again clear favorites to repeat as Central Division, Western Conference, and Stanley Cup Champions, based upon the NHL Betting Odds.

Minnesota Wild (46-25-11, 103 Points)

⦁ Division Odds: +650
⦁ Conference Odds: +1400
⦁ Stanley Cup Odds: +3300
⦁ Season Point Projections: 98.5 (-115 each way)

Next in our NHL Central Division Preview is Minnesota. After a rough start to last season, losing ten of their first 17 games, the Minnesota Wild were able to stay the course and reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs once again for the fourth consecutive year and tenth time in the last eleven seasons, only to once again lose in the first round to the Dallas Stars in six games.

Minnesota hasn’t advanced to the second round of the postseason since 2015, and with the salary cap crunch from the contracts of former stars Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, the vice gets tighter around General Manager Bill Guerin, and the seat gets hotter under Head Coach Dean Evason to bring a winner to Saint Paul sooner than later.

With their passing and formation setups, forward Kirill Kaprizov spearheads this Wild offensive attack, which didn’t seem as crisp at the time. Young stars like Brandon Duhaime, Matt Boldy, and Marco Rossi will have to step up to provide consistent secondary scoring this year along with Ryan Hartman, who was non-existent at critical times, including the playoffs last year, and Mats Zuccarello, who has battled many injuries in his career, but can still be a quality scorer in this league when healthy.

Matt Dumba will be missed by many Minnesota fans, but he could be an addition by subtraction, which can certainly be said about the departing John Klingberg. Captain Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin patrol the blue line while Brock Faber continues developing into the Wild’s future star.

The biggest surprise last season was the emergence of Filip Gustavsson in net. Traded from Ottawa as a clear backup option to future Hall-of-Famer Marc-Andre Fleury, the 24-year-old Swedish native turned in a 22-9-7 record with a 2.10 goals against average and a .931% save percentage, good for second best in the National Hockey League.

Now a year older, can he continue his upward trajectory with the 38-year-old Fleury at peace with his new position. Fleury is eight victories away from passing Patrick Roy for second on the list of most Wins by a Goaltender in National Hockey League history, a feat he should surely accomplish this season.

With one of the better home-ice advantages in the National Hockey League, Minnesota will once again be a big Betting Odds favorite during the year when they play at Xcel Energy Center. Still, this team may not be able to get over their continued postseason struggles.

Dallas Stars (47-21-14, 108 Points)

⦁ Division Odds: +225
⦁ Conference Odds: +700
⦁ Stanley Cup Odds: +1600
⦁ Season Point Projection: 104.5 Points (Over -115/Under -120)

The Dallas Stars found a way to break through that next level of clubs in the Western Conference, finding a great blend of offensive power and stable defense and goaltending, reaching the Western Conference Finals before losing steam to the Vegas Golden Knights. Coach Peter DeBoer will have his troops ready to dominate the Central Division and will look to return to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since the Bubble series in 2020.

The Most Valuable Player on this team is forward Jason Robertson. Coming off of a 46-goal, 109-point campaign last season, “J.R.” had Dallas fans in a frenzy along with solid season totals from veterans Joe Pavelski, Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn, the latter of which ultimately fell apart in their playoff exit and will certainly look to make amends after his poor outing.

One significant veteran addition up front is Matt Duchene, who, after scoring 43 goals for the Nashville Predators two seasons ago, saw his contract get bought out by new Preds GM Barry Trotz, and Dallas quickly came calling. With this deep core of veterans mixed with young stars like Robertson and Roope Hintz, goals should again come in bunches with this offense.

On defense, Miro Heiskanen continues to be one of the sturdiest defensemen in the league. However, there are concerns about his linemate, 38 year old Ryan Suter, who looked outclassed at times last season. The only weakness in the Stars’ lineup is on the blue line. They have arguably one of the best young goaltenders in the league with Jake Oettinger, who can steal you a game any night of the season and get hot in the playoffs at the right time.

The Stars have been a solid team to bet on for over a year now, and that will continue, but you have to be cautious once they become consistent large favorites every night during the season.

St. Louis Blues (37-38-7, 81 Points)

⦁ Division Odds: +1200
⦁ Conference Odds: +2600
⦁ Stanley Cup Odds: +6000
⦁ Season Point Projection: 86.5 Points (Over -125/Under -105)

2019 seems like a long, long time ago for the faithful fans of the St. Louis Blues, who were celebrating their first Stanley Cup win in franchise history that summer. A million things have changed in that timeframe, and this club, still coached by Craig Berube, is watching their championship window slam shut right before their eyes as teams in the Western Conference improve around them.

Up front, Jordan Kyrou leads an offensive attack that can light up the best defense one night, and then go ice cold for three games and give up five goals a piece in return. Veterans Robert Thomas, Brandon Saad, and newly acquired centerman Kevin Hayes give this club good size but not much blazing speed or top-level finishing ability regarding scoring.

This is a deep bunch as far as defensive play goes, and they will have to take the body often and play responsible hockey in the neutral zone to keep in games most nights.

On the back end, St. Louis has a firm corps led by Colton Parayko, Justin Faulk and veteran Torey Krug. The playmakers on point in Krug and Nick Leddy are a year older and don’t look as sharp as in previous seasons. When you factor in that the Blues finished in the bottom five in both power-play and penalty-killing percentages, it’s hard to see where their edges are against most teams in the league.

In goal, Jordan Binnington played well enough down the stretch to reclaim his number-one spot from Joel Hofer. The former Stanley Cup winner will have to learn how to control his temper and focus this season if the Blues wish to return to playing past early April, and that’s been a tough ask for the last couple of seasons.

In a younger, shifting division and conference, St. Louis gets left out in the shuffle, and I see a rebuild in this franchise’s future before I do another championship.

Nashville Predators (42-32-8, 92 Points)

⦁ Division Odds: +1200
⦁ Conference Odds: +2500
⦁ Stanley Cup Odds: +8000
⦁ Season Point Projection: 88.5 Points (-115 each way)

The Nashville Predators seem to be a club right on the dividing line of contention and elimination with a hand on the red button ready to blow things up and rebuilld with new General Manager and former long-time Predators inaugural head coach Barry Trotz. His first big front office move was replacing coach John Hynes with former Florida bench boss Andrew Brunette.

Brunette, who played briefly in Nashville during his career, led the Florida Panthers to a President’s Trophy victory before getting swept in the second round against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. His offense-first approach is a direct change from John Hynes’ philosophy and a bit different from the defense-heavy approach that Trotz made his calling card in the Music City and other towns while behind the bench, so it will be interesting to see what the identity of this club will look like on the ice.

Forward Filip Forsberg and Defenseman Roman Josi lead this squad into battle every night, but now with some new veteran faces like centerman Ryan O’Reilly and right winger Gustav Nyquist, this team has solid balance up front mixed with the youngsters like Cody Glass and Luke Evangelista.

On the defense, Josi and veteran Ryan McDonagh pair together, while Tyson Barrie will be set with physical veteran Luke Schenn. A true Trotz hire, a big, stay-at-home blueliner who will drop the gloves with anyone and protect his teammates.

Juuse Saros once again controls the crease for Nashville, in the second to last year of his 4 Year/$20 Million deal, the 28-year old Finnish netminder will be relied upon to shoulder another heavy load of minutes this season, and while Kevin Lankinen also returns as the backup, he’s someone that could be on the move around Trade Deadline time, since he’s a Unrestricted Free Agent after this NHL season and the Preds have Yaroslav Askarov in the AHL with Milwaukee primed and ready to see more NHL action during the season.

This Nashville club will be competitive in spots, but this is headed towards a rebuild led by a man who knows this organization well. and things may not take as long like we’ve seen in Chicago or Arizona, but expect some darker times on the ice in the Music City this season.

Winnipeg Jets (46-33-3, 95 Points)

⦁ Division Odds: +900
⦁ Conference Odds: +2200
⦁ Stanley Cup Odds: +6000
⦁ Season Point Projection: 91.5 Points (-115 each way)

The Winnipeg Jets reached the postseason last year, getting knocked out by the eventual Stanley Cup Champions in Vegas in the first round. Now, head coach Rick Bowness must continue to find a way to lead his team into a tough division with some new faces and continued changes. Gone are Pierre-Luc Dubois and veteran Blake Wheeler, two key forwards who were unhappy with how this club was being directed.

In comes forwards Gabe Vilardi and Alex Iafallo from the Los Angeles Kings, two very solid snipers, the former of which turned in a career-high 23 goals and 41 points in 63 games played for the fourth-year centerman. These two round out a very strong Top-Six, including Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, Nino Neiderreiter and Nikolaj Ehlers.

A quickly developing defense is led by Norris Trophy finalist Josh Morrissey, who scored 76 points last season. Dylan DeMelo, Nate Schmidt and Neal Pionk are a solid trio of shot-blockers who keep active sticks, especially in penalty-killing situations. Their defense isn’t in as dire straits as a couple of seasons ago, but they would need to find another gear in their play for this team to return to the playoffs.

The biggest question with the Jets is how long will Connor Hellebuyck be the starting goalie for this franchise? The 30-year-old former Vezina Trophy winner who has led or been near the top of the games played list in five of the last six seasons will have to continue to be durable and productive in order for this Jets’ squad to be competitive night in and night out.

If he falls to injury or becomes inconsistent, his backup is someone Winnipeg fans will be familiar with, Laurent Brossoit. The former backup spent parts of three seasons (2018-2021) with the Jets and now returns to the club with a Stanley Cup ring in tow from Vegas. He’s a much better goaltender now than two seasons ago, but he’s still a couple of notches below Hellebuyck.

Winnipeg’s ceiling is once again clinching a Wild Card berth into the playoffs, but their floor is finishing with a possible Top-Five Lottery Pick in the draft. I expect a rollercoaster season for Rick Bowness and Company in the true north.

Chicago Blackhawks (26-47-9, 59 Points)

⦁ Division Odds: +8000
⦁ Conference Odds: +8000
⦁ Stanley Cup Odds: +15000
⦁ Season Point Projection: 71.5 Points (Over -105/Under -125)

The Rebuild on the West Side of Chicago got a significant boost last May when the Blackhawks won the Number One overall pick in the 2023 National Hockey League Entry Draft, using that selection to acquire forward Connor Bedard. The 18-year old Vancouver native had an incredible junior career, which he capped off with 71 goals and 72 assists last season for the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League.

Along for the ride with Coach Luke Richardson’s young squad is veteran winger Taylor Hall, a former 1st Overall draft pick who comes over after a great season with the Boston Bruins, and Nick Foligno, a tough enforcer who will shadow and protect the smaller #98 in his first professional season. Lukas Reichel is another young talent this organization hopes will blossom into a star.

The German native had 15 points in just 23 games with the big club, spending most of the year in Rockford of the American Hockey League. He will have a talented linemate in Ryan Donato, a free agent signing from Seattle, that could make for a solid pair to circle in when looking at Fantasy Hockey drafts.

The weaker points for the Hawks are on the blueline and between the pipes. Chicago’s defensive corps after Seth Jones and Connor Murphy is a bit bleak, outside of rookie Kevin Korchinski, who looks ready to break with the big club after being drafted last year. Veteran Jarrod Tinordi adds some size and toughness, but not much on the skill end of things.

In goal, the tandem of Petr Mrazek and Arvid Soderblum ranks as one of the worst in the National Hockey League heading into the season, with the 31-year-old Mrazek virtually unable to stay healthy for long periods and the 24-year old Soderblum not showing signs of being a full-time NHLer, despite high praises from scouts and and the Hawks’ front office.

General Manager Kyle Davidson is in a good spot right now. This team will not contend for the postseason this year, or even next year, but the fanbase understands that this process takes time, and with prospects like Bedard, Korchinski, and goaltender Drew Commesso as part of the future ahead, things will soon improve at 1901 West Madison Avenue.

Arizona Coyotes (28-40-14, 70 Points)

⦁ Division Odds: +8000
⦁ Conference Odds: +15000
⦁ Stanley Cup Odds: +25000
⦁ Season Point Projection: 74.5 Points (Over -130/Under +100)

The Arizona Coyotes will play at least one more season in the college town of Tempe, Arizona, sharing the 5,000-seat Mullett Arena with the Arizona State Sun (or should I say, Ice) Devils thanks to the Tempe City Council shutting down a 2.1 Billion dollar project that would have kept the club in a new arena in the state for the next 30 years. While things seem bleak for the franchise financially and locationally, this club could be a pesky bunch to play against on a nightly basis.

Starting with Logan Cooley, the young centerman drafted third overall in last year’s draft, decided to leave the University of Minnesota and join the Coyotes. He has already made a big splash in preseason and could be a solid odds-on favorite to challenge Chicago’s Connor Bedard for the Calder Trophy as National Hockey League’s Rookie of the Year.

He skates alongside forwards Nick Schmaltz, who had a great year, scoring 22 goals and 58 points and Clayton Keller, whose 86 points tied Keith Tkachuk’s mark for most points in franchise history since moving to the desert back in the 1996-97 campaign. Two more solid free-agent additions include winger Jason Zucker, who arrives from Pittsburgh, and his former teammate back in Minnesota, defenseman Matt Dumba, who will inject some toughness and depth into this blue-line corps after the departure of Jakob Chychrun.

Between the pipes, Czechia native Karel Vejmelka will continue to be the workhorse for the Yotes, with another decent season, making 50 appearances, winning 18 games. His backup, Connor Ingram, rebounded from a shaky start to form into a decent tandem that won’t see this club make a run toward the playoffs, but Arizona should be a tough, competitive club, especially at home in their “Cozy” confines.

Predicted Order of Finish (* – Playoff Team)

1. Colorado Avalanche*
2. Dallas Stars*
3. Minnesota Wild*
4. Winnipeg Jets
5. Arizona Coyotes
6. Nashville Predators
7. Chicago Blackhawks
8. St. Louis Blues

Check out all the updated National Hockey League NHL Standings 2023-24, NHL Table, predictions, lineups, future odds, team stats, recent news, picks and parlays and betting tips, right here at Point Spreads.

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