The Leaders of the Central Division are the Dallas Stars.
They have been fantastic, thanks in great part to the production of the Leafs left-winger Nick Robertson’s big brother, Jason Robertson. He has proven himself to be a legitimate goal scorer, notching 23 in his first 30 games. That’s gone along with 20 assists, giving the Stars top left-winger a total of 43 points.
After an excellent 2021-22 campaign, Roope Hintz is proving that his previous production isn’t a fluke. He’s been great once again for Dallas, giving his club an added lift. They’ll need his offense if they continue on their current trajectory, which would see them clash with the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Colorado Avalanche.
The Avs have been plagued by injuries this season, which has not allowed them to look anything like the threat they were this time last year. Losing former Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri to free agency has also been a big loss to the franchise. However, if Colorado can get healthy heading into the playoffs, they could be dangerous once again.
If the season were to end today, the final first round battle would be between the Winnipeg Jets and the Minnesota Wild. This could easily turn into a seven-game series, with either team coming out victorious in the end. It’s a coin flip series.