Central Division (NHL)

The Central Division is one of the four divisions of the National Hockey League, formed in 1993 as part of the Western Conference during a league realignment. It succeeded the Norris Division and is also one of two successors to the Northwest Division. The division originally included the Chicago Blackhawks, the original Winnipeg Jets (later the Arizona Coyotes), the Dallas Stars, and the St. Louis Blues. Over time, the division's membership changed through expansion, realignment, and relocation. As of 2024, the Central Division comprises the Blackhawks, Jets, Stars, Blues, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, Colorado Avalanche, and Utah Mammoth. The division has sent five teams to the Stanley Cup playoffs on seven occasions, and in the first three seasons after the 2013 realignment, Central Division teams occupied both Wild Card playoff spots in the Western Conference.