It’s a dogfight, and with the division standing as the most competitive in the league right now, there’s a good chance that the likes of the Nashville Predators, Winnipeg Jets, St. Louis Blues, and Dallas Stars will be battling it out at the trade deadline to better their chances of securing a postseason berth.

Considered to be out of the running

With fewer than 30 games to go, the Wild, Avalanche, and Blackhawks are considered to be all but out of contention to win the Central Division, but one will likely still get to the playoffs via a wild card place. The Stars, Blues, Predators, and Jets are all still very much in the fight. At +120 in the NHL betting odds, Nashville stands as the firm favorite to win the Central. Given that they boast what is likely the strongest team in the Western Conference, this is fair, but the Jets at +210, Blues at +500, and Stars at +850 are all within striking range of that first place podium position.

Injuries will always have an impact on teams down the stretch, and given that the Predators played to the Stanley Cup final only to be defeated by the Pittsburgh Penguins last year, you’d have to think that fatigue may get to them at some point. With that in mind, some shrewd moves at the trade deadline could change the outcome of this mighty battle in the Central Division.

Moves to be made

As far as the current state of the teams and the long-term plans for said teams are going, all four of those leading contenders for the Central Division are holding up rather well.

Nashville’s acquisition of Kyle Turris earlier in the season has worked wonders, with him contributing heavily to the points column as well as bolstering the progress of young star Kevin Fiala. Plus, the Preds recently re-added former captain Mike Fisher now that he’s returned from retirement. However, injuries ended up being the crux of Nashville’s post-season exploits in 2017, so it may be wise to target some sturdy veterans to support the forward and defensive lines just in case another stream of major injuries strike.

St. Louis’ general manager, Doug Armstrong, has already stated that he won’t buy into the rental market, so getting a proverbial shot in the arm from the likes of Evander Kane or Mike Green is likely off the table. However, the likes of Mike Hoffman or Alex Galchenyuk could give the Blues a strong boost on the forward lines, if they can work out a way to take on their semi-hefty salaries.

The Dallas Stars are in a peculiar place as they need to look more towards the future but, given their standing and strong play of late, they could make some additions to better their chances in the playoffs – which they look set to get to. The Stars are set up the middle, but could do with another source of scoring to step up should one of their stars miss time down the stretch. A sniper like Evander Kane or Michael Grabner could make for prime pickups.

As for the Winnipeg Jets, it all finally seems to be coming together for a very strong post-season. While the team is stacked with talent, the one aspect that they lack as a whole is experience in the playoffs. Because the playoffs are a completely different beast altogether, it is often very helpful for young teams like the Jets to acquire one or two experienced leaders. Thomas Vanek, Rick Nash, and David Perron could prove to be exactly what they need.

The trade deadline could be a feisty one for this four mighty Central Division teams as they all battle for a better playoff place, or, they could all wait for the others to blink. All four teams are strong enough to get to the playoffs and even make it past the first round, but an additional body or two could make the difference in this dogfight.