Central Division Predictions

[Mrfenn92]

Chicago will still finish last in the division. They will be improved but still picking 3-7 range.

Dallas just steady tram
Colorado high end skill.
Preds very active should be go.
Jets still will be solid.
Think Utah takes a big step this year standings wise.
Minnesota should bounce back to previous form.
St. Louis is a bit tough still. Lots of solid bets there.

 

[John Mandalorian]

For all the uncertainty with the Avs, one thing that should have greater clarity vs last year is center depth. Having Mittelstadt instead of Johansen should be a big upgrade and give the top guys a break.

 

[Ararana]

Joe Sakic has a lot of Cap space tied up there to juggle while...

 

[Evergreen]

1. Dallas
2. Colorado
3. Winnipeg
4. Nashville
5. Minnesota
6. St. Louis
7. Utah
8. Chicago

I think some of you are very much overestimating Utah.

 

[voyageur]

1. Dallas
2. Colorado
3. Winnipeg
4. Nashville
5. Minnesota
6. St. Louis
7. Utah
8. Chicago

I think some of you are very much overestimating Utah.

Utah's very first home game is against Chicago and that should be an interesting game...I think the Hawks are closer to being a marquee franchise again, with Bedard, and he could be the player to watch this year. Utah is going to play with a different kind of energy this season with at least 10 000 more fans to cheer them on. But they have a tough schedule to start with the New York road trip, that goes to Anaheim after, and then back home vs. the Bruins to begin a homestand. If they get out of October with a winning record, I think that's momentum they might carry.

This is the goaltending division, you expect some of the lowest GAAs to come out of this division. Brossoit being on the Hawks could be an interesting dynamic, as he has been solid for 2 consecutive seasons. You wonder if this is the year Wallstedt takes over in Minnesota, Hofer in St. Louis.

 

[strattonius]

I think Utah will be hugely improved. The roster made some improvement but I just think the morale of the team will take a huge leap. Morale isn't really quantifiable but I believe it plays a larger part than most people think. I think back to Vegas' 1st year and how that team rallied around the idea that they were supposed to be expansion fodder - and honestly anyone that predicted they were going to be as good as they were was lying. With Utah you have a group of players probably feeling a sense of stability.

 

[Spilot23]

I like your analysis, but I still have a hard time seeing where Colorado is going to get offense from...They are going to need a dynamite PP.

Minnesota still has Chisholm, Bogosian, Merrill at the bottom of their defense. Guys like Hunt or Lambos might be called upon. Their forward group is uninspiring after the big guns. Recycling Nashville coaches has only got them so far.

Jets defense is probably what you describe it as, but I think getting the buy in to play team defense is something Arniel can work with...he did coach the team last year with a decent record. I think it's a tighter team without Dubois.

I'll go out on a limb and predict

1. Winnipeg
2. Dallas
3. Nashville
4. Chicago

As the playoff teams in the division. Chicago if they get a good start will get the fanbase rocking again.

They will probably get a good PP again as it was last year and the year after they won (around 24%). I think regular season we just need guys like Mackinnon, Rantanen and Makar to elevate this team. In the playoffs it's a different story though.

I can't remember what lines we were rolling in the 2022-2023 regular season but here's projected lines on season debut two years ago according to Kyle Fredrickson :
Line 1: Artturi Lehkonen-Nathan MacKinnon-Mikko Rantanen
Line 2: Valeri Nichushkin-Alex Newhook-Evan Rodrigues
Line 3: Andrew Cogliano-J.T. Compher-Logan O’Connor
Line 4: Lukas Sedlak-Ben Meyers-Anton Blidh

This team won the division with 109 pts. There was literally no moves during the TDL with the uncertainty of Landeskog situation. This year they will have a real #2C in Mittelstadt but the problem will be Landeskog's cap/uncertainty and Nichushkin's suspension early this season. If they can get two good lines with Mack-Drouin and Mikko-Mitts I have a good feeling they can go through until we get back Lehkonen and Nichushkin which would make two deep top lines.

 

[plank]

1. Colorado
2. Dallas
3. Nashville
4. Winnipeg(WC)
5. Utah(WC)

6. St. Louis
7. Minnesota
8. Chicago

 

[westc2]

This will be a good year to bet on the Blues...they did nothing but improve the team in the offseason and added a ton of depth. Thomas, Kyrou and Neighbours will be even better this year as well.

Colorado, Dallas, and Winnipeg are currently at their peak and will either stay the same or get worse.

Nashville is top heavy with old vets...they are either going to be really good or really bad I think.

Minnesota will be decent. Slightly better than last year.

Chicago is a mystery to me...it's only a matter of time before they make that jump to elite status with Bedard leading them, but I don't know if it will be this year.

Utah doesn't look ready to make the jump yet.

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

I can see Chicago picking up 17-20 more points than last season which will still put them in the bottom 5 of the league.
It'll be a few years before they jump into playoff contention (if the young kids are good.)

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

This will be a good year to bet on the Blues...they did nothing but improve the team in the offseason and added a ton of depth. Thomas, Kyrou and Neighbours will be even better this year as well.

Colorado, Dallas, and Winnipeg are currently at their peak and will either stay the same or get worse.

Nashville is top heavy with old vets...they are either going to be really good or really bad I think.

Minnesota will be decent. Slightly better than last year.

Chicago is a mystery to me...it's only a matter of time before they make that jump to elite status with Bedard leading them, but I don't know if it will be this year.

Utah doesn't look ready to make the jump yet.

 

[mab894]

Nashville
Colorado
Dallas
STL
Utah
Winnipeg
Chicago
Minnesota

with STL and Utah making the playoffs as wild cards

 

[Markster]

I still have a hard time seeing where Colorado is going to get offense from...

 

[JasonDemersWasOkay]

f*** Utah

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Dallas 113
Colorado 111
Nashville 107
Winnipeg 103
STL 95 (Bubble team, might sneak in)
Utah 86
Minnesota 85
Chicago 74

I could honestly see any of the the top 4 swap and I could see any of STL, Min, and Utah swap as well.

 

[njdevils1982]

Ulaugh hockey club last and hawks second last

 

[PocketNines]

I think the Blues could be in for a rough season.

as a Blues fan who has wanted them to finish with better draft picks the last couple years and been frustrated, the roster is too good to get below a certain floor. it's a pretty solid roster. they're strong in net (Binnington is proud, sees Hofer coming, and is 5 wins from being the all time franchise leader in wins). Robert Thomas is a legit two-way 1C now. Young talent coming through in every position ... LW, C, RW, LD, RD, G.

They are going to be borderline again but if they surprise in any direction it will be overachieving and making the playoffs as a wild card

 

[dalewood12]

Dallas
Colorado
Nashville
.
.
.
.
Take Your Pick

 

[Dr Pepper]

View attachment 902414

Between those two spamming around 15 shots per game between them, plus Rantanen and a returning Landeskog, I'd say the Avs have the inside edge on the division.

Dallas should be fighting for home ice advantage at least, along with Winnipeg and a surging Preds team.

St. Louis, Minny, Chicago and Utah might surprise but right now I'd say only one of them challenges for a WC spot. Probably Minnesota.

 

[wetcoast]

Dallas and Winnipeg overachieved last year and didn't get better in the offseason. Colorado has the best high end talent but had health issues that are hard to predict. If everyone is healthy:

Colorado, Dallas, Winnipeg, Nashville, St. Louis, Utah, Minnesota, Chicago

I'd go something like this first 4 teams are my top 4 and then it's either the Blues or minny, then utah and not sure how much better the Black Hawks will be maybe 10 points better?

 

[wetcoast]

I'd be a bit surprised if Dallas didn't win the division. Their depth has them set up the best to navigate the injuries and individual slumps that come with an 82-game season. Also, Johnston, Stankoven and Bourque should all improve, giving them more firepower up front.

Obviously not impossible for them to not win it, and I don't think they'll run away with it, but I do think they're in the driver's seat at the moment.

Frankly I was surprised that Dallas didn't beat an Oiler team with Drai hurting last season.

But who expected that the Stars wouldn't score a single PPG that series?

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Between those two spamming around 15 shots per game between them, plus Rantanen and a returning Landeskog, I'd say the Avs have the inside edge on the division.

Dallas should be fighting for home ice advantage at least, along with Winnipeg and a surging Preds team.

St. Louis, Minny, Chicago and Utah might surpris
but right now I'd say only one of them challenges for a WC spot. Probably Minnesota.

Is Landeskog a certainty to return?

 

[Mike Liut]

The Blues added size, speed and toughness. Their roster is really shaping up nicely, especially if Thomas, Kyrou and Neighbors take another step.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

I have Dallas taking the West. Then I’d have Colorado second and Nashville third.

The rest:

Winnipeg
St. Louis
Minnesota
Utah
Chicago

 

[Avsfan1921]

Is Landeskog a certainty to return?

Not a certainty no, but on track to return early seaon according to reports. Videos of his skating and progress are in the hfavs injury thread and it does look promising in a practice setting.

Right now we can only hope he’ll come back at a top six level but it’ll be huge just seeing him in the lineup for us fans and certainly his teammates.