The Central Division was the NHL’s toughest during the 2017-18 season, with three teams eclipsing the 100-point plateau, including the teams with the top two records in the NHL. And that division might be even tougher in the 2018-19 season.
Last season: 43-30-9, 95 points, fourth place
Key losses: Blake Comeau, Nail Yakupov, Jonathan Bernier
Key additions: Philipp Grubauer, Matt Calvert, Ian Cole
Last season’s Avalanche tested the theory of how far one line can carry a team, with the trio of Gabriel Landeskog-Nathan MacKinnon-Mikko Rantanen eviscerating the NHL at times and pulling Colorado into a playoff spot.