The Central is where the West gets decided, and this year it may be the deepest division in hockey. Our NHL Central Division season predictions start with Colorado, fresh off 121 points and a plus-99 goal differential, and the Avalanche are once again the team everyone else is chasing. Behind them, Minnesota and Dallas both project as playoff clubs, while a surging Utah Mammoth looks ready to crash the top three after its first postseason appearance since 2020. At the other end, Winnipeg faces a season defined by the Hellebuyck standoff, and Chicago is still rebuilding. Here are our odds, best bets and predictions for all eight teams.
Related: Atlantic Division Betting Preview, Metropolitan Division Betting Preview
Colorado Avalanche
Stanley Cup odds: +700
To win conference odds: +340
To win division odds: +125
To make the playoffs odds: -1600
Regular season points over/under: Over 107.5 (-115), Under 107.5 (-105)
Key additions: F Jaden Schwartz, F Fedor Svechkov, F Zachary L’Heureux
Key subtractions: F Valeri Nichushkin, F Ross Colton, F Jack Drury
Betting prediction: Over 107.5 points (-115)
Fresh off a 121-point campaign, the Avalanche are poised to repeat as a powerhouse in this division and post another high point total, especially with another two games added to the schedule.
The losses of Valeri Nichushkin and Ross Colton certainly hurt from a depth perspective, but this team still has enough elite firepower to post at least 110 points and be a legitimate Stanley Cup contender once again.
Colorado posted an incredible plus-99 goal differential a year ago, miles ahead of Carolina, which posted the next best mark at plus-56.
Avalanche over 107.5 points
Minnesota Wild
Stanley Cup odds: +1400
To win conference odds: +650
To win division odds: +300
To make the playoffs odds: -500
Regular season points over/under: Over 102.5 (-105), Under 102.5 (-115)
Key additions: F Blake Coleman, D Olli Maata, F Maxim Shabanov, G Calvin Pickard
Key subtractions: F Mats Zuccarello, F Marcus Johansson, F Vladimir Tarasenko, R Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Betting prediction: Quinn Hughes to win the Norris Trophy (+400)
Hughes will have plenty of motivation to post monster numbers as he plays out the final year of his current contract before inevitably cashing in on an extension with Minnesota or being paid lucratively on the open market this summer.
A Norris Trophy winner in 2023-24 as the league’s top defenceman, Hughes finished seventh in the award voting last year following his trade from Vancouver to Minnesota. He posted 53 points in 48 games with Minnesota, and a full season with the squad should really accelerate that output and give him a chance to lead all defencemen in scoring this season.
Quinn Hughes to win the Norris Trophy
Dallas Stars
Stanley Cup odds: +1600
To win conference odds: +750
To win division odds: +400
To make the playoffs odds: -400
Regular season points over/under: Over 100.5 points (-140), Under 100.5 (+110)
Key additions: D Kyle Burroughs
Key subtractions: D Ilya Lyubushkin, F Mavrik Bourque, F Samu Tuomaala
Betting prediction: Stars to finish fourth in the division: +400
The Stars have failed over the past five seasons to win a Stanley Cup with their current crop of players, and Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, and Matt Duchene are all now on the backside of their careers. Jason Robertson, who signed a one-year deal to remain with the club, will still be a distraction for the club all season long as his future hangs in the balance, and the loss of Mavrik Bourque, who was traded to Nashville, certainly hurts the forward depth.
A solid defensive foundation and elite goaltending from Jake Oettinger should be enough to help Dallas remain a playoff team as a Wild Card, but we’re not optimistic about its chances of nailing down one of the three division playoff spots with the surging Utah Mammoth lurking in the division.
Stars to finish fourth in the Central Division
Utah Mammoth
Stanley Cup odds: +3000
To win conference odds: +1400
To win division odds: +750
To make the playoffs odds: -190
Regular season points over/under: Over 96.5 points (-105), Under 96.5 (-115)
Key additions: F Vincent Trocheck, F Anders Lee, G Sebastian Cossa, D Andrew Peeke, F Joshua Roy, D Zac Jones
Key subtractions: F JJ Peterka, D Sean Durzi, F Alex Kerfoot, D Ian Cole
Betting prediction: Mammoth to finish third in the Central Division (+425)
The Mammoth broke out with a 92-point campaign in 2025-26 to claim the franchise’s first playoff spot since 2019-20 when they were the Coyotes, and they’re poised to do even more damage this year after a busy offseason.
Adding Vincent Trocheck and veteran forward Anders Lee gives the Mammoth an incredibly deep top-nine group of forwards, and the addition of Sebastian Cossa in goal behind Karel Vejmelka should help the squad squeeze out a few more wins.
This squad has a great mix of young and hungry forwards that are complemented by grizzled veterans, so the Mammoth should be able to make some noise in the Western Conference and perhaps make a deep playoff run, especially with $4.5 million in cap space to potentially add to the mix prior to the trade deadline.
Mammoth to finish third in the Central Division
Winnipeg Jets
Stanley Cup odds: +12500
To win conference odds: +4000
To win division odds: +3300
To make the playoffs odds: +230
Regular season points over/under: Over 85.5 points (-110), Under 85.5 (-110)
Key additions: G Stuart Skinner, D Mario Ferraro
Key subtractions: G Eric Comrie, C Jonathan Toews, F Gustav Nyquist
Betting prediction: Under 85.5 points (-110)
It will likely be a very long season in Winnipeg as Connor Hellebuyck’s future hangs in the balance and shrouds a cloud over training camp.
The superstar goalie has demanded a trade out of Winnipeg and has been suspended as a result, but finding a trade partner is proving to be quite difficult. The tense situation would ideally have a quick resolution, but the standoff could bleed into the regular season, leaving the Jets in a serious bind.
Winnipeg’s play style has revolved around a formidable top line with Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele leading the way and rock-solid goaltending from Hellebuyck. But with a serious hole now in goal, this team will need to quickly find a new identity.
The Jets are fade material this season, as they’ll likely get an underwhelming return for Hellebuyck in a potential trade at this point.
Jets under 85.5 points
St. Louis Blues
Stanley Cup odds: +15000
To win conference odds: +5000
To win division odds: +3500
To make the playoffs odds: +190
Regular season points over/under: Over 85.5 (-110), Under 85.5 (-110)
Key additions: F Mason McTavish, F Connor McMichael, D Brandon Carlo
Key subtractions: F Jordan Kyrou, F Brayden Schenn, D Justin Faulk
Betting prediction: Blues over 85.5 points (-110)
The youthful injection of McTavish and McMichael drastically improves this team’s centre depth, and Brandon Carlo is a solid addition as a depth defender. Yes, Jordan Kyrou will be missed, but adding two forwards to replace his production is a a fine strategy that should work out fine for St. Louis.
Joel Hofer is a serious breakout candidate in goal for the Blues after posting an impressive 2.61 GAA and .910 save percentage in 46 games last season. And Jordan Binnington is more than capable of backing him up and playing a significant amount of games.
We don’t think the Blues will make the playoffs, but they should be in the conversation heading into the final few weeks of the season.
Blues over 85.5 points
Nashville Predators
Stanley Cup odds: +15000
To win conference odds: +5000
To win division odds: +4000
To make the playoffs odds: +225
Regular season points over/under: Over 85.5 (-110), Under 85.5 (-110)
Key additions: F Mavrik Bourque, F Ross Colton, F Jack Drury, F Alex Kerfoot, F Nils Hoglander
Key subtractions: Zachary L’Heureux, F Fedor Svechkov
Betting prediction: Under 85.5 points (-110)
The Predators were a massive disappointment last season, and their aging core continues to be a concern heading into 2026-27. Veterans Steven Stamkos (36), Ryan O’Reilly (35), Roman Josi (36), and Juuse Saros (31) are all another year older, positioning this team’s core for a steep decline.
Mavrik Bourque and Jack Drury were a couple of nice injections of youth over the summer, but this team is going to experience some growing pains in the short term before the roster turns over.
Fade the Predators on their season point total of 85.5.
Predators under 85.5 points
Chicago Blackhawks
Stanley Cup odds: +20000
To win conference odds: +8000
To win division odds: +4500
To make the playoffs odds: +450
Regular season points over/under: Over 79.5 (-110), Under 79.5 (-110)
Key additions: D Bowen Byram, F Patrick Kane, F Jordan Greenway, D Ian Cole
Key subtractions: D Louis Crevier, D Matt Grzelcyk
Betting prediction: Blackhawks to finish eighth in the Central Division (+165)
It was a bizarre offseason for the Blackhaws, who passed on the fourth overall selection of the draft in order to acquire Bowen Byram from the Buffalo Sabres. They also brought back legendary forward Patrick Kane for a victory lap, a move that likely won’t yield much production or results at his advanced age of 37.
To make matters worse, new captain Connor Bedard won’t suit up until November, and perhaps longer, after shoulder surgery.
The rebuild isn’t over yet in Chicago, and fans will have to endure another year or two of suffering until the team turns the corner.
