If I were granted the ability to play professional hockey — in a situation likely akin to the young boy who siphoned away Kevin Durant’s basketball abilities in the acclaimed 2012 film Thunderstruck — the one division I would stay away from would be the Central.
Not only is that because if you’re a professional athlete you’d probably like to spend your time in a climate warmer than that of the Central, but also because that division is a total gauntlet.
With the NHL season on our doorstep, here’s a look at how the odds for who’ll come out victorious in the Central bloodbath look as of September 28.
NHL Central Division Odds
| Rank | Team | Odds |
| 1 | Colorado Avalanche | +125 |
| 2 | Minnesota Wild | +320 |
| 3 | Dallas Stars | +350 |
| 4 | Utah Mammoth | +750 |
| 5 | St. Louis Blues | +3000 |
| 6 | Winnipeg Jets | +3500 |
| 7 | Nashville Predators | +4000 |
| 8 | Chicago Blackhawks | +6600 |
NHL Central Division Favorite
The Colorado Avalanche are a +125 favorite to win the Central Division as we head towards the start of the NHL season.
This is coming off a season where Colorado won 55 games and received 121 points, earning them the Presidents’ Trophy. They were heavy favorites for the Stanley Cup through much of the regular season and into the playoffs.
Although the Avalanche didn’t fall victim to a first round ‘Presidents’ Trophy curse’ moment – they swept the Los Angeles Kings in the first round and got a five game victory over the Minnesota Wild in the second — they did lose in an embarrassingly quick series against the Vegas Golden Knights.
It was a disappointing end to an otherwise incredibly successful season for Colorado.
But there’s no reason for panic. As we enter the 2026-27 season, the Avalanche are poised to contend for the title once again.
The core one-two-punch of Colorado — in perennial Hart contender Nathan MacKinnon and perennial Norris Trophy contender Cale Makar — means they’ll almost always find themselves as a main character in the playoff picture.
Still, as mentioned before, the Central Division is going to be a tough fight. The Wild and the Dallas Stars, specifically, are roadblocks to consecutive division titles for the Avalanche.
Their games against Dallas and Minnesota last season were some of the toughest in an overall easy season for Colorado. The Avalanche had a 4-1-3 combined record against the two teams. Additionally, their goal differential was +1 in both regular-season series.
The Wild, in my opinion, are the biggest threat and may end up becoming a division favorite as the season goes along.
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