2022 NHL Central Division Preview & Predictions

With the Avs pegged as such formidable favorites, does another team have a chance of preventing them from defending their Central Division crown?'

Despite losing No. 1 netminder Darcy Kuemper and Nazem Kadri, NHL odds have the Avs as overwhelming favorites (-164) to repeat as Central Division champs.'

Central Division Preview: Odds & Predictions

No other division has a team favored as heavily as Jared Bednar’s.'

The Wild are clear-cut second favorites (+400), while the Predators, Blues, and Stars have an outside chance of winning the division.'

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Even without the two Ks (Kuemper and Kadri), the Avs have too much talent and depth to be unseated as division champs. While Kuemper was solid between the pipes last season, his absence doesn’t cause irreparable damage. Far from it.'

Alexandar Georgiev, acquired from the Rangers, has the slight edge over Pavel Francouz as the pair compete for the starting role.'

Neither goaltender has been an NHL starter, which might leave Georgiev with a shorter leash than most starters. Expect a somewhat equitable share of the minutes between two largely unproven goaltenders.'

The goaltending uncertainties put more pressure on the Avs’ core, which won’t be an issue considering their elite level and performance under intense pressure in the 2021-22 playoffs.''''

Gabriel Landeskog is nursing a low-injury body and won’t be ready in time for their season opener, while Nathan MacKinnon just signed a contract, making him the league’s highest-paid player. Aside from Connor McDavid, the second-highest paid player, MacKinnon is as dominant as any forward in the league.'

Colorado’s 2021-22 Norris and Conn Smythe winner, Cale Makar, is a generational talent who is significantly superior to any other NHL blueliner. He is the odds-on favorite to repeat as the Norris winner and will only improve as time elapses.'

The Avs had the fourth-best offense (3.76 goals per game) and the ninth-best defense (2.83 goals against per game) in 2021-22. Expect those numbers to remain relatively constant in 2022-23.'

Landeskog shouldn’t be out long enough to hamper their division title expectations.

Prediction: Division Winner'

Most of the Wild’s 2021-22 success can be attributed to their dynamic and prolific offense. The Wild scored the fifth-most goals per game (3.72) and won 23 games by three or more goals. Only four teams won more lopsided games.

While proficient at throttling teams, the Wild, with the fourth-best winning percentage in one-goal games (67%), were also outstanding in tightly contested affairs.'

However, the Wild traded second-leading scorer Kevin Fiala to the Kings in the offseason, which will almost assuredly negatively impact their offensive production.'

Minnesota also had a permanent goaltending alteration afoot. Cam Talbot made a move when the Wild put their faith in Marc-Andre Fleury in advance of the 2021-22 playoffs, deciding to try his luck in Ottawa.'

The pressure is now squarely on Fleurty to recapture his Stanley Cup-winning form. The crease is his, and Minnesota will need the seasoned veteran to roll back the years and show he still has what it takes to be a top-tier goaltender.'

While it’s a big ask for the 37-year-old, he’s only a year and a half removed of backstopping the Golden Knights to the Western Conference final. So there’s a solid chance Fleury has one more golden year left in those aging legs.'

Prediction: Second Place'

The Predators maintained the status quo for the coming season except for two veteran additions. They added proven pedigree in Nino Niederreiter and Ryan McDonagh.'

The former will almost certainly add 20 goals to last season’s joint-12th most productive offense, while McDonagh is a two-time Stanley Cup winner who should provide leadership and increased stability on the blueline.'

However, Nashville can't expect a significant offensive contribution from McDonagh, whose production has dried up in recent seasons.'

The Preds have a stacked top two offensive units, including Matt Duchene, Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen, and Mikael Granlund.'

Roman Josi, one of the world’s best defensemen, anchors the Preds’ blueline. The 2019-20 Norris Trophy winner notched an outrageous 96 points last season and is once again considered a favorite to win the individual honor.'

Nashville is also looking pretty in goal. The Predators were manhandled in the first round of last season’s playoffs for two reasons: they ran into a runaway Avs’ locomotive, and Juuse Sarros was unavailable because of a late-season injury.

  
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