2023 NHL Central Division Title Odds and Favorites: Colorado the Team to Beat in the Central

Written by: Nicholas Plowfield

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2023 NHL Central Division Title Odds and Favorites: Colorado the Team to Beat in the Central cover

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The Central Division in the NHL consists of 8 teams near the center of the United States and Canada. The division is situated within the Western Conference, and the champion of the Central earns a #1 seed in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Last season, the Colorado Avalanche ran away with the division championship for the second straight season. They finished with the second best record in the regular season at 56-19-7.

Five teams from the Central made the playoffs last season, even though two of the teams finished shy of 100 points. This division has produced the Stanley Cup Champion in 2 of the last 4 seasons, and it is always highly competitive and heated.

2023 Central Division Title Odds

Colorado Avalanche -160
Minnesota Wild +400
St. Louis Blues +750
Nashville Predators +1300
Dallas Stars +1300
Winnipeg Jets +2000
Arizona Coyotes +24000
Chicago Blackhawks +24000

Central Division Favorites

Colorado Avalanche -160

The Avs are currently building a team good enough to be a dynasty in the NHL. They have won their first Cup since 2001, and they have returned almost all of their core producers from their run last season.

The playoff level of hockey from the Avalanche was impressive. They only lost 4 games through all 4 of their series, and would not be denied the opportunity to bring the Stanley Cup back to Colorado.

In the regular season, their level of play was just as good, posting a record of 32-5-4 at home. Over the past two seasons, their combined home record is 54-9-6, so don’t be betting against the Avs at home anytime soon.

In 2023, the Avs should have a fairly easy run to the postseason for the 6th straight season. They are obviously a heavy favorite due to their team chemistry staying intact through the offseason. Colorado will be a force for years to come.

Minnesota Wild +400

Minnesota had one of their best regular seasons last year and finished strong to end the year. They were only 6 points back of the Avalanche for the division when it was all set and done. Winning 10 of their last 12 really vaulted them into a prominent playoff position.

However, once the playoffs were underway, the same Wild did not quite come to play. They failed to make it out of the first round, and the St. Louis Blues were the ones to advance and play Colorado.

Minnesota has one of the brightest young stars in the sport. Kirill Kaprizov, who was drafted in the 5th round of the NHL Draft in 2015, made his entrance onto the big stage in a big way. He scored 47 goals and 61 assists to lead the team in both categories.

The talent is there for the Wild, but the question is whether they can get through Colorado or not. The head-to-head meetings between the two will go a long way in determining who takes the division crown in 2023.

St. Louis Blues +750

The Blues won the Stanley Cup in 2019, and since that run, they have been a solid pick for bettors when the playoffs come around. Last season they made it to the second round before getting knocked out in 6 games by the Avalanche.

The Blues haven’t made a ton of noise this offseason, but they have focused most of their efforts on bringing back key positional players to keep 4 strong lines alive.

The core of players they have had since 2019 is making a strong push to get back to the Final and show other teams that they are still in the mix. It wasn’t a fluke that they won the Cup, and a 3rd place finish in the Central last season gave them an opportunity for another run.

For the upcoming season in 2023, the Blues will look to expand on their 3rd best offense in the league and maintain their second best power play in the NHL. The defense could use some work, and before the offseason is over, I would expect the defense to look a little different.

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Nicholas Plowfield

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