Not only is the NHL’s Central Division tough to compete in, the division is tough to predict. Before the 2017-18 season, 17 analysts for NHL.com submitted their picks around how the Central Division, among others, would look come playoff time.
All 17 believed the Chicago Blackhawks would make it into the playoffs, the majority of them predicting either a second- or third-place finish in the division. Winnipeg received only three mentions of a wild card spot. Colorado did not received a single mention.
April of 2018 finally arrived and the Central Division standings looked a lot different than what the experts at NHL.