Last season, the mighty Central Division sent five teams to the postseason. Featuring a gauntlet of win-now teams and a few up-and-comers, expect the Central to be well-represented once again come playoff time.
With new faces in new places, Cup contenders looking to make the leap, and regrouping teams attempting to climb the ranks, there will be plenty to follow this season, and here are three storylines to keep an eye on:
Subban in Music City
After claiming a wild-card position last season, the Nashville Predators appear poised for a run at the top of the division with P.K. Subban in the fold.
General manager David Poile sent captain Shea Weber to Montreal in exchange for Subban, making a rock-solid defensive corps even more dynamic. Tied in with the likes of Roman Josi, Mattias Ekholm, and Ryan Ellis, Subban - and the Preds - should thrive this season.
Subban should bring the spotlight to a talented team that's generally lost in the shuffle, and in case some fans didn't take notice after Nashville knocked the Pacific-winning Anaheim Ducks out in the first round last season, the Predators are deep.
Complementing a stacked blue line, the Predators' offensive attack features the likes of Filip Forsberg and James Neal, and will get a full season this time around from Ryan Johansen.
Goaltending in Dallas
Last season's Central crown-holder, the Dallas Stars, led the NHL in goals for by a healthy margin with 265 tallies, but a shaky goaltending duo hindered the club all season.
Between Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi, the Stars allowed the most goals out of any playoff team last season, and that will have to be rectified for the Stars to take the next step.
| Goalie | Starts | W | L | OT | GAA | Sv% | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niemi | 43 | 25 | 13 | 7 | 2.67 | 0.905 | 3 |
| Lehtonen | 39 | 25 | 10 | 2 | 2.76 | 0.906 | 2 |
A rumor swirled over the summer that Dallas tried to acquire Ben Bishop from Tampa Bay, but it never came to fruition, leaving general manager Jim Nill to hope his veteran combination can bounce back.
Thankfully for Dallas, it realistically shouldn't take much of an improvement in net for the Stars to remain dominant in the West. Few teams can keep up with, let alone compete with, the attack that Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, Jason Spezza, and others can create.
Bednar's initial test
Colorado's run of relevance in the Central was rather short-lived.
Enter Jared Bednar, who is tasked with recreating the magic that earned the Avalanche the division title in 2013-14, but in a more sustainable manner.
His predecessor, Patrick Roy, left the club in the summer, citing a disconnect with the organization. Roy's game plan couldn't cut it, and Colorado's putrid possession numbers during his tenure reflect back-to-back seasons outside the playoffs.
Bednar, in his first NHL gig, inherits a roster littered with youthful talent, and will be tasked with instilling defensive responsibility. If he succeeds, there could be yet another threat in the deepest division the league has to offer.
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