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NHL Mailbag: New York Islanders, solving the Central, what ifs, and more

By Dave Stevenson

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 03: Tom Kuhnhackl #14 of the New York Islanders pushed the puck up the ice against the Carolina Hurricanes in the second period of Game Four of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena on May 03, 2019 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 03: Tom Kuhnhackl #14 of the New York Islanders pushed the puck up the ice against the Carolina Hurricanes in the second period of Game Four of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena on May 03, 2019 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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The Central

The Central Division is probably going to be the toughest division in the NHL. How do you think things play out there?

The Central Division is by far the toughest one to figure out. There are at least five teams who I could see getting the top three spots. Even the sixth-best team in the division is probably going to be a competitive one.

I think the two best teams are going to be the Dallas Stars and the Nashville Predators. They’ve got a combination of skill, speed, and grit. Both have significantly improved this summer. Not to mention both teams have strong goaltending. Even if Pekka Rinne and/or Ben Bishop falter, they have quality backups ready to step in.

The St. Louis Blues are going to be an interesting team. How they do in 2019-20 depends on two things. First of all, is Jordan Binnington for real? Secondly, just how good of a coach is Craig Berube? Did he catch lightning in a bottle or can he have sustained success? That said, the Blues are probably the third-best team in the Central for me.

The Colorado Avalanche have what it takes to break into the top three teams in the division. But it’s going to be very hard to do it. The Avalanche aren’t quite as deep as the Predators or the Blues. Nor are they as strong defensively as the Stars. The Avalanche are going to be the most fun team in the division, which is all that matters.

But if Nazem Kadri excels in the second-line role he’s had success with in the past and Cale Makar is ready to step in for Tyson Barrie, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Avalanche are in the top three.

You’ve already read my thoughts on the Jets earlier, but I think they’re good enough to contend for a wild card spot. The Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild are going to have a hard time contending in the Central, but both teams have the talent to potentially make some noise.

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