NHL Central Division Winner Odds, Favorites to Win, Best Bets: Winnipeg’s Lead for First Isn’t Secure

• The Winnipeg Jets have an eight point lead over Dallas for first in the Central division standings

• Connor Hellebuyck leads all goalies in average Goals Against per game and in Save Percentage

• The Dallas Stars back line ranks 11th overall in Expected Goals Against in All Situations

Heading into the final stretch of the season, the Winnipeg Jets are in a great position to win the Central division title as they have an eight point lead over Dallas for first. Their defense has played a major role in their success as their back line ranks sixth overall in Expected Goals Against in All Situations while Connor Hellebuyck leads all goalies in average Goals Against per game and in Save Percentage.

Should the Dallas Stars want to remain in contention for the division title, then their back line must quickly round back into dominant form as their defense has dropped down to 11th overall in Expected Goals Against in All Situations. Their regression has brought in a higher amount of variance in their contests, hurting their chances of winning and keeping pace with the Jets at the top of the standings.

NHL Central Division Winner Odds 2025

Odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook. Click on the odds in the table below to head to Caesars Sportsbook, use WSN promo code WSNDYW and place your bets: Bet $1, Get 10 100% Profit Boost Tokens

Central Division Winner Predictions and Favorites to Win 

With Dallas playing at a very high level on both sides of the ice, the Stars get the benefit of combating against a low amount of variance which increases their chances of securing the win.

Winnipeg Jets at FanDuel

With less than 30 games remaining in the regular season, the Winnipeg Jets are in full control of their own destiny in regard to winning the Central division title as they lead the field in total points. Just when Dallas was starting to close the gap between the two, the Jets managed to hold them off by winning nine games in a row. While it is an unsustainable pace of points, their success can be attributed to their turn around on defense as the Jets continue to climb back up the board in Expected Goals Against in All Situations.

Connor Hellebuyck has been instrumental in their success as the reigning Vezina Trophy winner currently leads the league in average Goals Against per game while generating a Save Percentage of .925. Even when the Jets back line went through a cold stretch of play and dipped down the board in Expected Goals Against, Hellebuyck was able to keep them competitive with his own individual production. If you bet on Winnipeg earlier in the year, then consider hedging your bet on Dallas to help secure a profit.

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Minnesota Wild at Caesars

Since returning from injury, Filip Gustavsson has struggled to recapture the same success he had earlier in the year as he continues to fall down the board in average Goals Against per game. An unfortunate sight to see as Gustavsson was considered the closest contender to dethroning Hellebuyck for the Vezina Trophy before being shelved with an injury. His regression has affected Minnesota’s defense as a whole as the Wild have steadily trickled down the board in Expected Goals Against in All Situations.

Should their defense continue to regress, then the Wild are in serious jeopardy of losing their top three spot in the Central division standings which secures them an auto berth for the playoffs. Especially with their front line giving them minimal support as their offense ranks 28th in Expected Goals For in All Situations. If Colorado can leap over Minnesota for the third spot in the division standings, then the Wild will have to compete against the rest of the Western Conference for one of the two wildcard spots.

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Colorado Avalanche at BetMGM

Even after the trade for Martin Necas, Colorado’s offense has still struggled to play at a competitive level as the Avalanche rank 15th overall in Expected Goals For in All Situations. A severely underwhelming level of play for a team full of playmakers as seven Avs currently average over 0.25 Expected Goals per game. Especially with Nathan MacKinnon running the offense as the reigning Hart Memorial Trophy winner currently leads the league in total points.

Fortunately for Colorado, their back line has been able to elevate their level of play as the Avs defense ranks third in Expected Goals Against in All Situations with an average of 2.85 Expected Goals Against per game. Mackenzie Blackwood has played a major role in their resurgence as the newly acquired goalie ranks top-20 in Goals Against per game. While it has not been enough to help salvage their hopes of winning the division, Blackwood’s play will determine how deep the Avs make it in the playoffs.

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Who Will Win the Central Division - My Pick 

Dallas Stars at Caesars

With 25 games remaining in the regular season, the Dallas Stars must finish out the year strong should they want to win the Central division title as they are seven points back from Winnipeg for first. When comparing the two, Dallas is in a far better position to sustain their current rate of points as they rank top-6 in Expected Goals For and Expected Goals Against in All Situations while the Jets offense still struggles to crack the top-15 in Expected Goals per game.

The Stars also receive a high level of play from their goaltending on a nightly basis as both Jake Oettinger and Casey DeSmith average less than 2.50 Goals Against per game and possess a Save Percentage higher than .910. With no glaring weakness at any area of the ice, the Stars get the benefit of combating against a low amount of variance which increases their chances of securing the win. Bet the Stars to win the division at their current odds as they will continue to rival the Jets until the end of the season.

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Who Won the Central Division in 2023/2024?

The Dallas Stars won the Central division in 2023-2024, claiming their fourth title since joining the division in 2013.

Central Division History

The Central division has seen plenty of changes over the years, constantly welcoming in new teams as others depart due to realignment. The Detroit Red Wings currently lead the division for most division titles, winning the division 13 times before moving to the Atlantic division. For teams still in the Central, the Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues are tied for first with four division titles apiece. The Colorado Avalanche were the last Central division winner to also win the Stanley Cup, winning both titles in 2021-2022.

Past Central Division Winners

How to Choose the Best Sportsbook for Betting on the Central Division Winner

When making a wager on the Central division market, it’s vital to acquire as many sportsbooks as you can get. This allows you to line shop the market as odds can drastically vary between each sportsbook. When betting on the Stars to win the Central division title, their odds can be found as high as +400 at Caesars and as low as +310 at FanDuel. That is a difference of $90 in profit for a $100 bettor.

Another benefit of acquiring multiple sportsbooks is that you can collect multiple signup bonuses to help boost the bankroll. FanDuel Sportsbook for example is giving new users $150 in bonus bets after creating an account and winning your first bet of at least $5.

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How to Read Central Division Winner Odds

Before making any type of wager, it’s important to know how the listed odds work. Should you bet on the Stars to win the Central division title at their current odds of +400, then a $100 wager would profit you $400 if they win the division. If you wait to see if they create a gap between them and the rest of the pack and are listed with a minus sign in front of their odds (ex: -130), then you would need to wager $130 to profit $100.