NHL Central Division Midseason Odds
Three Horse Race with Colorado, Dallas and Winnipeg
NHL Central Division Midseason Odds
NHL Central Division Odds Update: The National Hockey League‘s Central Division has been one of the more interesting quadrants in the league this year, with the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars near the top of the ranks, as expected – but a couple of surprise clubs as the Winnipeg Jets, Nashville Predators and the Arizona Coyotes have all played fairly well in the first half of the season, and don’t forget about the St. Louis Blues, who found a new wave of winning after making a mid-season coaching change, firing Craig Berube and hiring Drew Bannister. Let’s take a look at some of the updated odds around the Central Division in this NHL Midseason Odds update.
Colorado Avalanche (32-14-3, 67 Points)
⦁ Current Division Odds: +140 (opened +150)
⦁ Current Conference Odds: +400 (opened +375)
⦁ Current Stanley Cup Odds: +800 (opened +800)
⦁ Preseason Point Total Projection: 106.5
Continuing along with our NHL Central Division Midseason Odds Update: The Colorado Avalanche were picked by many prognosticators to win the Central, along with some having them as the team to represent the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Final.
While this club would love nothing more than to bring Lord Stanley’s Cup back to the Mile High City for the first time since 2022, the Avs will have some work to do moving forward. Winger Nathan MacKinnon (31 Goals, 84 points in 49 Games Played) is looking like a solid candidate for the Hart Trophy as league MVP during the first half, leading this offensive charge along with Mikko Rantanen (27 goals, 66 pts in 49 GP). Those two will have to continue the heavy lifting with forward Valeri Nichushkin out indefinitely as he is in the NHLPA Player Assistance Program with no timetable set to return at this time.
Defenseman Cale Makar (12 goals, 58 pts in 44 GP) has played well after missing some time early in the campaign with an injury. Fellow blueliners Devon Toews (8 goals, 29 pts in 49 GP) and Josh Manson (6 goals, 17 pts in 44 GP) will be called upon to step up their production in this second-half stretch.
In goal, Alexandar Georgiev has been an absolute workhorse for the Avalanche. In a time where most teams utilize a 1A/1B system to rotate netminders and keep them fresh, head coach Jared Bednar has relied on the Bulgarian to start in 41 of the 49 games played thus far. With a 27-11-2 record, a 2.91 goals-against average, and a .898% save percentage, It’s quite clear that Colorado GM Joe Sakic will need to get some help and upgrade that backup position if they feel that current backup Ivan Prosvetov isn’t capable enough to give Georgiev longer breaks.
The Avalanche hit the road right off of the break, with a season-long six-game trip starting in Manhattan against the New York Rangers on Tuesday, February 6th. The Avs will make up for it at the end of the year when nine of their last twelve games will be in the cozy home confines of Ball Arena.
Dallas Stars (30-13-6, 66 Points)
⦁ Current Division Odds: +300 (opened +225)
⦁ Current Conference Odds: +600 (opened +700)
⦁ Current Stanley Cup Odds: +1200 (opened +1600)
⦁ Preseason Point Total Projection: 104.5 Points
The Dallas Stars have been a rollercoaster team so far in the first half. Despite being just one point out of first place in the Central Division, the Stars have battled through injuries to their top goalie – Jake Oettinger, lapses in defensive play, and overall sloppy moments in games – which is why a lot of people are favoring Colorado and Winnipeg more in this division race than the Stars.
Dallas will have to get more consistent play from Oettinger (16-9-2, 3.04 G.A.A, .900 Sv% in 27 starts) and hope that top blueliner Miro Heiskanen (30 points in 39 games) can stay healthy and deliver more offensive production.
Up front, forwards Roope Hintz (22 goals, 47 pts in 47 GP), Jason Robertson (17 goals, 50 pts in 49 GP) and Mason Marchment (16 goals, 37 points in 48 GP) have been very good along with the veteran trio of Matt Duchene (17 goals, 45 points in 48 games played), Joe Pavelski (19 goals, 43 points in 49 GP) and Tyler Seguin (17 goals, 39 pts in 49 GP) to round out the secondary scoring.
Dallas has nine of their first twelve contests out of the All-Star Break on the road, where they have a record of 14-5-4 on the year. They will have to play close, solid hockey to fight off the rest of the hungry clubs in this feisty Central Division.
Winnipeg Jets (30-12-5, 65 Points)
⦁ Current Division Odds: +150 (opened +900)
⦁ Current Conference Odds: +650 (opened +2200)
⦁ Current Stanley Cup Odds: +1600 (opened +6000)
⦁ Preseason Point Total Projection: 91.5 Points
The Winnipeg Jets looked to be on shaky ground after their first round playoff exit to the eventual Stanley Cup Champions, the Vegas Golden Knights, last Spring. However, General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff got on the phone and started making moves, sending disgruntled forwards Pierre-Luc Dubois and Blake Wheeler out of town and bringing in Gabe Vilardi (11 goals, 20 points in 27 games played) and Alex Iafallo (7 goals, 18 points in 47 GP) from the Los Angeles Kings, along with coming to terms on contract extensions with goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele before training camp began.
Both players have been sensational, with Hellebuyck going 23-9-3 with a 2.20 goals-against average, a .924% save percentage, and two shutouts in 35 starts and Scheifele leading the club with 41 points over 41 games before being placed on injured reserve with an upper body injury that will have him out for another four to six weeks.
Once he can return to the lineup, the Jets should be primed for action down the stretch. Winnipeg has five of their first eight games out of the All-Star Break on the road, and with a five-game road trip out East to start March, the Jets will have to find points flying around if they wish to capture the Central Division title.
Nashville Predators (26-22-2, 54 Points
⦁ Current Division Odds: +20000 (opened +1200)
⦁ Current Conference Odds: +4000 (opened +2500)
⦁ Current Stanley Cup Odds: +8000 (opened +8000)
⦁ Preseason Point Total Projection: 88.5 Points
The Nashville Predators headed into this season looking like a team that was possibly one more bad year into becoming a team that could sell off some players and lineup with a rebuild. Thankfully for new General Manager Barry Trotz, he may not have to push the red button with this current group, as right now the Preds are a competitive club with a legitimate chance to hang around in the Western Conference Wild Card race.
Forward Filip Forsberg (24 goals, 51 points in 51 games played) leads the club in both goals and points, with veterans Gustav Nyquist (12 goals, 38 pts in 51 GP), Ryan O’Reilly (17 goals, 42 pts in 51 GP) and blueliner Roman Josi (10 goals, 35 assists, 45 points in 51 GP) round out the scoring threats.
This club has a lot of hardworking, grinder-type players who do the little things that may not show up on the scoresheet every game, but certainly help contribute towards victories for the club. Young stars like Luke Evangelista (9 goals, 22 pts in 50 GP) and Philip Tomasino (7 goals, 20 pts in 50 GP) continue to develop and will have to chip in with more secondary scoring to help this club push into the postseason.
Between the pipes, Jusse Saros (19-19-2, 2.94 G.A.A, .903 Sv%) has been the usual workhorse, starting in 40 of the club’s 51 games. Kevin Lankinen has been solid as a number two option for head coach Andrew Brunette.
The Predators will play eight of their first thirteen games out of the break at Bridgestone Arena, where Nashville has a .500 record with 13 wins and 13 losses this season. Between the two homestands is a five-game road trip with four of those contests played out west against Pacific Division clubs like Los Angeles, San Jose, and Anaheim, –teams that the Preds will need to defeat and earn points against to stay afloat in this Wild Card race.
Here are the Odds for the remaining teams in the NHL Central Division Odds Update:
St. Louis Blues (26-21-2, 54 Points)
⦁ Current Division Odds: +20000 (opened +1200)
⦁ Current Conference Odds: +6500 (opened +2600)
⦁ Current Stanley Cup Odds: +15000 (opened +6000)
⦁ Preseason Point Total Projection: 86.5 Points
Arizona Coyotes (23-22-3, 49 Points)
⦁ Current Division Odds: +20000 (opened +8000)
⦁ Current Conference Odds: +12500 (opened +15000)
⦁ Current Stanley Cup Odds: +25000 (opened +25000)
⦁ Preseason Point Total Projection: 74.5 Points
Minnesota Wild (21-23-5, 47 Points)
⦁ Current Division Odds: +20000 (opened +650)
⦁ Current Conference Odds: +6500 (opened +1400)
⦁ Current Stanley Cup Odds: +15000 (opened +3300)
⦁ Preseason Point Total Projection: 98.5
Chicago Blackhawks (14-34-2, 30 Points)
⦁ Current Division Odds: +50000 (opened +8000)
⦁ Current Conference Odds: +25000 (opened +8000
⦁ Current Stanley Cup Odds: +50000 (opened +15000)
⦁ Preseason Point Total Projection: 71.5 Points
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