Hockey is just about back, with the regular season kicking off Wednesday. The Chicago Blackhawks open their year Thursday with a home tilt against the defending Stanley Cup-champion Pittsburgh Penguins.
Of course, what’s more fun before a season than predicting how that year will play out? With that in mind, let’s break down the Central Division and see how its teams will fare this upcoming season.
Th
e Blackhawks had a rough postseason exit last year and there were shakeups. Artemi Panarin was sent to the Columbus Blue Jackets.