It wasn’t so long ago that the Chicago Blackhawks were inching their way to the top of the standings in the ultra-competitive Central Division.
Last season, the Central had six teams finish with more than 90 points, the best mark in the league. The Central was top-heavy, with the President Trophy-winning Nashville Predators checking in at 117 points and the Winnipeg Jets just behind them at 114 — the second most points in the 2017-18 NHL season.
And through the first month of the 2018-19 season, it’s shaping up to be that way again.