NHL's Central Division expects to be a bloodbath

The Central Division cage match might include a few new faces in 2026-27. Plus, the division seems ripe for a major trade (or two). It's not quite as chaotic as the Metro, but there's intrigue.

With NHL training camp and preseason action beginning in a month, Yardbarker is previewing storylines involving each division this week.

Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild are collectively worse

They all lost critical pieces. Colorado traded long-time winger Valeri Nichushkin to Columbus and got younger in the bottom six in dealing Jack Drury and Ross Colton to rival Nashville. Dallas is still over the salary cap, meaning another move (forward Sam Steel, perhaps) is coming. In the meantime, it also dealt a forward to Nashville. The Predators, possibly with the threat of an offer sheet, snagged young center Mavrik Bourque from Dallas. Minnesota mostly lost depth, but the departure of wingers Mats Zuccarello and Vladimir Tarasenko really could harm the collective offense.

All three teams should still very much be in the running to win the Central. That said, it is now more likely that one of the three ends below expectations.

Utah Mammoth: Stalking horse

Harming Utah's claim to the Central Division crown: The Mammoth were one of the healthiest teams in hockey last season. That level of injury luck doesn't always repeat. Still, they were without number one center Logan Cooley for 28 games. 

From top-to-bottom, their depth looks Stanley Cup-caliber. The decision to match New Jersey's offer sheet for center Barrett Hayton, despite the ramifications of potentially losing Hayton for nothing, indicate an organization that is buying. They have a unique blend of size, grit and scoring upside. The Mammoth also now get a full year with defenseman MacKenzie Weegar and added goaltender Sebastian Cossa to back up Karel Vejmelka. That depth only looks better when you see the breadth of Utah's prospect pool. They have the ammunition to do something even bigger than the Trocheck acquisition, should that type of player become available.

St. Louis Blues: Stalking pony

The St. Louis Blues were an enormous disappointment last season, thanks in part to the catastrophic play of goaltender Jordan Binnington. An anemic power play didn't help much either. As a result, the Blues, for the second consecutive offseason, brought in a slew of talented forwards. This summer, they acquired forwards Connor McMichael and Mason McTavish. The Blues extended McMichael for six seasons, while McTavish still has five years on his deal signed with Anaheim. They are betting on both bouncing back after down seasons, and hoping trading Jordan Kyrou encourages a stylistic difference.

The bigger story in St. Louis is that Robert Thomas isn't getting traded. The Blues and Thomas are unified. He helped anchor what was the best line in hockey the final two months of the season. Between that and Joel Hofer's red-hot finish in net, St. Louis fans can at least be encouraged by the start of the season.

Chicago Blackhawks are trying

Chicago has made a clear case for trying to improve with additions of Bowen Byram on defense, a reunion with Patrick Kane up front to spark a disastrous power play and the arrival of pure potential in the form of winger prospect Roman Kantserov. At bare minimum, maybe they'll avoid a sixth straight year as they worst generating team in Natural Stat Trick's expected goals for stat.

Winnipeg Jets, Nashville Predators and other division-defining trades

Winnipeg is probably better than people think, but it's impossible to get a read on them while goaltender Connor Hellebuyck remains on the roster. He wasn't great last season, which makes trading him a wildcard.

Nashville is rebuilding in all but name. Could it finally be time to trade center Ryan O'Reilly, now in the final year of his contract? Forwards Jonathan Marchessault and Steven Stamkos are also still floating around.

Minnesota, meanwhile, seems to be playing the long game. Letting Zuccarello walk was almost certainly part of a strategy to maintain flexibility to acquire center Dylan Larkin from Detroit. Notably, Dallas is another team on Dylan Larkin's approved trade list. That trade could shake up two divisions.

Preseason play begins Sept. 19.