NHL season-preview capsules: Central Division

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Central Division capsules

Arizona Coyotes

Head coach: Andre Tourigny (third season)

Last season: 28-40-14, seventh place in Central Division

This season: The Coyotes appear ready to step forward. Unknown is how far. With only one playoff berth over the last 11 seasons -- and that came because of the expanded format when the league restarted from the COVID stoppage in 2020 -- there have been plenty of dark and dry days in the desert. A trip to the Stanley Cup playoffs is still a longshot for the young and improving Coyotes, but all signs point to reaching the next level and better days ahead for a team that has been stockpiling prospects and draft picks for many years now.

What's new: Needing to solidify the lineup around a collection of young talent, the Coyotes added some solid veterans: defensemen Matt Dumba and Sean Durzi and forwards Jason Zucker, Alexander Kerfoot and Nick Bjugstad, who was traded from Arizona to Edmonton in March, then returned to the Coyotes as a free agent. Dumba and Durzi, while not considered top-pairing defensemen, will help solidify the team's young corps. Arizona's forwards, many 25 years old or younger, will benefit from having experienced pieces surrounding them.

Players to watch: The Coyotes boast a handful of young and talented forwards, among them Clayton Keller, Barrett Hayton and a pair of rookies last season, Dylan Guenther and Matias Maccelli. Expected to be added to the mix this season is Logan Cooley, the third overall draft pick in 2022. On defense, the future looks bright with J.J. Moser, Juuso Valimaki and Victor Soderstrom stepping forward.

Chicago Blackhawks

Head coach: Luke Richardson (second season)

Last season: 26-49-7, eighth place in Central Division

This season: The Blackhawks did everything possible to bottom out last season, and the reward was winning the draft lottery and receiving Connor Bedard with the first overall pick. It won't mean a playoff trip, but Chicago, with a wealth of young players and even more draft picks on the horizon, will be bad enough to be in the draft lottery again. It will be playing with house money as its fans jump back on board.

What's new: Upon netting Bedard, considered the best prospect since Connor McDavid, c plus capsule Price the Blackhawks wisely added veteran forwards Taylor Hall, Nick Foligno, Corey Perry and Ryan Donato. It's not to ensure Bedard has top-end talent around him, but more to help him adapt to the NHL life with players who have plenty of experience. Hall, especially, knows what life is like being a first overall pick himself. Although not the player he once was, he is certainly good enough to ride shotgun.

Players to watch: Chicago's young talent does not end with Bedard. Lukas Reichel, a 2020 first-round pick, and 24-year-old Cole Guttman are poised to become full-time NHLers, 2022 first-rounder Kevin Korchinski is a future top-pairing defenseman and 22-year-old Alex Vlasic is pushing for a third-pairing spot. The Blackhawks will be a bottom feeder for another season or two, especially with one of the league's worst goaltending crews, but at least the Madhouse on Madison is preparing for a bright future.

Colorado Avalanche

Head coach: Jared Bednar (eighth season)

Last season: 51-24-7, first place in Central Division

This season: Despite winning three consecutive division titles and the 2022 Stanley Cup title, the Avalanche somehow are a forgotten power while pundits heap praise on Dallas, Edmonton and last year's victors, Vegas. After a disappointing first-round playoff loss to Seattle, retooled Colorado looks like a contender and will be gunning for another championship.

What's new: Colorado hopes to have filled major holes with Ryan Johansen pegged to be the second-line center, Jonathan Drouin slated to skate on the top line with his junior teammate Nathan MacKinnon and Ross Colton, Miles Wood and Tomas Tatar giving the squad a whole new third line. While injuries were a huge problem last season, including the loss of captain Gabriel Landeskog -- who is expected to miss all of this season, too -- the Avalanche are refreshed.

Players to watch: With MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen at forward and a trio of stellar defensemen -- Cale Makar, Devon Toews and Bowen Byram -- the Avalanche are built to win. Rantanen and MacKinnon combined for 97 goals and 119 assists last season, while Makar is a perennial Norris Trophy contender. Should the new faces provide the much-needed secondary scoring that was lacking last season, especially in the playoffs, and No. 1 goalie Alexandar Georgiev delivers as well as he did in 2022-23, the Avalanche will again be a force.

Dallas Stars

Head coach: Peter DeBoer (second season)

Last season: 47-21-14, second place in Central Division

This season: Last season was a big step forward for the Stars, and they have a great chance to put together an encore. Dallas, a team built with a deep crew of forwards, a Norris Trophy-caliber defenseman in Miro Heiskanen and rising star goaltender Jake Oettinger, did well to reach the Western Conference finals before losing to the eventual Cup-champion Golden Knights. It will not be easy, but the Stars are capable of matching and even exceeding last year's performance.

What's new: In an effort to increase forward depth, the Stars nabbed Matt Duchene after he was bought out by the Predators, and for now, he will skate on the third line. Craig Smith was signed via free agency, as was Sam Steel, and they provide even more depth to an already strong roster. On defense, the club expects 2019 first-round draft pick Thomas Harley to be a full-time NHL player and solidify the second pairing.

Players to watch: With Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, Joe Pavelski, Jamie Benn, Wyatt Johnston, Evgenii Dadonov and Tyler Seguin, the Stars were already loaded at forward. Now, they sport a crew that is as deep as any in the league. The only question mark is on defense after Heiskanen and the up-and-coming Harley. Ryan Suter, Esa Lindell and Jani Hakanpaa are starting to lose the race with Father Time. Improving the blue line will remain a focus.

Minnesota Wild

Head coach: Dean Evason (fifth season)

Last season: 46-25-11, third place in Central Division

This season: The Wild have been consistent at making the playoffs, failing to qualify only once in the past 11 seasons. Unfortunately, Minnesota has been consistent at losing in the first round, claiming only two series victories in the 11-year span. Changing the narrative will be tough. Minnesota, handcuffed each of the next two seasons because of the buyouts of long-gone veterans Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, can ice a good team, capable of making the playoffs, but it's questionable whether it will be good enough to unseat the division's two powerhouses.

What's new: Upon losing a handful of players, the most impactful being defenseman Matt Dumba, the Wild could only fill holes with depth forwards such as Pat Maroon and Jujhar Khaira. Minnesota is hoping that a couple of players graduating to full-time NHL status can make up the difference. Brock Faber, who played only two NHL games after he finished his junior year at the University of Minnesota, will be given the opportunity to step into the second pairing, while Marco Rossi is being counted on to be the third-line center. Rossi, the ninth overall pick in the 2020 draft, managed no goals and one assist in 19 NHL games last season, and he spent the bulk of the year in the AHL.