The Central Division had the best top-three teams in the NHL last season, but a terrible last-place club kept it from being the league’s best from top to bottom.
That might change this season.
It’s been a splashy start to the 2024 offseason around the league, but a few of the also-rans in the Central look much improved just a few days into July. With big trades and big free-agent signings, the Colorado Avalanche’s division has been at the vanguard of the league’s offseason action.
Where do the eight clubs stand after the initial flurry? Which way are they trending?