NHL Central Division Odds: Do the Jets Have What It Takes to Win the Division?

The 2023-24 NHL season is coming down to its final stretch and every team is trying to make their push for playoffs.

Playoff seeding is crucial in all sports but may be the most important in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. With how players get banged up and puck luck can turn a series, being able to count on the comforts of home can ease the pain on the road to the finals. That means winning your division is all the more important and it's a big reason why the Central Division in the Western Conference is so crucial this season.

Three teams are vying for that top spot and it's going to go down to the very last week by the looks of it.

Let's dive into the Central Division odds, per FanDuel Sportsbook.

NHL Central Division Odds

Winnipeg Jets (-135)

Central Division odds have been a rollercoaster, but the Winnipeg Jets find themselves with the best odds at present.

While they currently sit in second place in the division, there's a good reason to believe that this can be theirs soon. Through 56 games, the Jets have 77 points -- two short of the Dallas Stars for the division lead. The reason, however, that the odds are so in their favor is due to games in hand. They have four extra games to play over the Stars and three in hand on the Colorado Avalanche. By the time they get to 60 games played, there's real chance for them to have a multiple-game lead on both teams.

The reason to like the Jets -- besides having games on their side -- is defense and goaltending. Connor Hellebuyck is on his way to a second Vezina Trophy. He's first in the NHL with a 2.21 goals against average (GAA) and second in save percentage (Sv%) at .925. Just add in his league lead in goals saved above expectation (33.97 GSAx), and you get the picture that he's pushing them to the top seed with great defense helping him out.

Winnipeg's defense has helped the Jets lead the NHL with 2.34 goals against per 60 minutes (GA/60) and 58.46 Corsi against per 60 minutes (CF/60). The GA/60 can be attributed to Hellebuyck more than anything; their expected goals against per 60 minutes (xGF/60) actually sits at 2.97 -- which is in the middle of the league. Minimizing what their opponents have done is why they are where they are in the standings, and it's hard to see them not take this division with just over 20 games left for both the Stars and Avs.

Defense largely wins championships, but in this case, it may very well win the Central Division.

Dallas Stars (+220)

It was just two weeks ago that the Dallas Stars sat atop the odds to win the division, and despite having the lead, they're in second and looking up.

In their last 10 games, the Stars are 4-3-3 and have shown signs of scuffling. Perhaps it shouldn't be too much of a surprise when you dive deeper into their output.

Dallas ranks 4th with 3.53 goals for per 60 minutes (GF/60), but that's considerably high when you look at their expected goals for per 60 (xGF/60) of 3.09, which ranks 15th in the NHL. The inverse has happened with their GA/60; they are 12th in that regard (2.96), but their xGA/60 is a 2.78 -- the 3rd-best in the league. Ultimately, they're overperforming in one regard and underperforming in another, which still evens them out to be a top 10 team in the league when it's all said and done. But, with such difference comes slip-ups in the season, which is how the Jets are knocking on the door for first place.

The rest of this season for Dallas is going to come down to what Jake Oettinger brings to the table. He's been unremarkable considering his preseason expectations. It's the opposite of what the Jets are getting out of Hellebuyck. Oettinger is underperforming with a 2.92 GAA and .903 Sv% -- both of which are on their way to being career-lows for the 25-year-old. If he can somehow turn a corner, it gives the Stars an outside chance of holding onto the division.

Right now, the ball is not in their court in terms of controlling this division, but if you're looking for a team to bet on that isn't the favorite, they're a better choice than the Avalanche right now for good reason.

Colorado Avalanche (+350)

The aforementioned Colorado Avalanche are not the same team as they've been in the past, but that isn't to take away from what still can be a deep playoff run. Instead, it's just unlikely they will call the Central Division theirs for a third straight season.

Colorado has a 35-19-5 record, good for 75 points and third place. Considering they've played three more games and are still trailing the Jets; it's not looking all too good for them this year to capture the title.

There hasn't been nearly as much dominance from Colorado, showcased by a 3.21 xGF/60 that ranks 10th in the NHL and a 3.06 xGA/60 that ranks 16th. However, their Corsi numbers are better; the Avalanche are sporting a 63.12 CF/60 and 57.83 CA/60 -- both ranking 8th in the league.

As good as the Avalanche are and have been over the past few seasons, this doesn't appear to be their year to take the division. A winning streak for them and an implosion for the Stars and Jets would be their only shot.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers