In the first part of the Central Division preview, we took a look at what Chicago, St. Louis, Colorado, and Minnesota might have to offer this coming NHL betting season. We will now finish things off by taking a look at the other three teams in the division:
They may be in rather strange market for a hockey franchise, but this is a team that made some sweet music last season. More often than not, it’s defense that wins games for the Predators, which isn’t a huge surprise given that their defensive unit includes guys like Shea Weber and Roman Josi. Their lack of offense hurt them a little bit, though, and they have made a number of moves to ensure that they don’t suffer from the same issues this season. The Predators have a legitimate shot at the division if they can find the back of the net on a more regular basis. It’s more likely that they will settle for a top 3 finish.
The Stars fell a little short last season, but they look to have made enough changes to perhaps do better this time around. Jamie Benn will be leading the charge for what is a very talented offense, and the defensive unit has received upgrades that should leave them a little less porous in their own end. It’s tough to say whether the changes made will be enough to vault them into a postseason spot, but Dallas is certainly good enough to stay close to the cutoff line all the way to the end of the season.
This is going to be a team that is fun to watch, as they are brimming with the best young talent in the division. The problem is that youth generally means that mistakes will be made, and we can expect goaltending and defense to be an issue. This is an exciting young team, but it’s also one that has some glaring holes that need to be plugged. I like the Jets, but we are probably going to have to wait one more year before they are in a position where they can be considered a contender.
