Central Division Power Rankings: Nashville Predators Fall Back
By Chad Minton
Chad Minton’s rankings (@chad_minton)
1. Tampa Bay Lightning 3-1-0, 6 PTS (Last Week: 1)
2. Dallas Stars 2-0-0, 4 PTS (Last Week: 4)
3. Carolina Hurricanes 2-1-0, 4 PTS (Last Week: 3)
4. Florida Panthers 2-0-0, 4 PTS (Last Week: 5)
5. Nashville Predators 2-3-0, 4 PTS (Last Week: 2)
6. Columbus Blue Jackets 2-2-2, 6 PTS (Last Week: 6)
7. Chicago Blackhawks 2-3-1, 5 PTS (Last Week: 8)
8. Detroit Red Wings 2-4-0, 4 PTS (Last Week: 7)
This division is really hard to put a finger on right now after you get past my top-three of Tampa Bay, Dallas and Carolina.
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With an uneven amount of games played, I can’t overreact to the Blue Jackets or Blackhawks having more points when they’ve played six games compared to other teams who have only played two or three games.
I’m not ready to plummet the Predators too far down after three-straight losses to really strong teams who will push Tampa Bay for the division championship.
However, the Predators do look like a fringe playoff team that most have considered them to be all offseason.
The Florida Panthers are quietly waiting to get their season back started. They’re 2-0-0 after beating Chicago twice. Now they hope to get back in action against the Columbus Blue Jackets. That two-game set will be very telling.
It looks like the Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning are on a collision course for the division title. Point percentages might very well come into play when it’s all said and done.