NHL Central Division Standings 2026-27
Central standings for the 2026-27 NHL season. The Minnesota Wild lead the division at 9-3-3.
The Utah Mammoth sit 1 point back.
Inside the division, the records so far are the Wild 3-1-0, the Mammoth 1-1-0, the Avalanche 2-2-1, the Stars 3-3-0, the Blues 2-4-0, the Predators 3-1-0, the Jets 2-1-2 and the Blackhawks 2-2-0.
The Avalanche have the best goal differential in the division at +15. Five of the eight teams are in playoff position today, the Wild at No. 2, the Mammoth at No. 4, the Avalanche at No. 5, the Stars at No. 7 and the Blues at No. 8. The Avalanche are the defending champions after winning the Central at 55-27-5 in 2025-26.
| # | Team | GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | P% | RW | ROW | GF | GA | DIFF | HOME | AWAY | STRK | L10 | PROJ | MAGIC | NEXT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Minnesota WildMIN |
15 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 21 | .700 | 9 | 9 | 47 | 35 | +12 | 4-0-1 | 5-3-2 | L1 | 6-2-2 | 118 | 138 | @ WSH Sun 11/1 |
| 2 |  Utah MammothUTA |
14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 18 | .643 | 7 | 9 | 51 | 46 | +5 | 4-2-0 | 5-3-0 | W1 | 6-4-0 | 108 | E138 | @ PHI Sun 11/1 |
| 3 |  Colorado AvalancheCOL |
14 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 17 | .607 | 8 | 8 | 59 | 44 | +15 | 6-1-1 | 2-4-0 | W2 | 5-4-1 | 102 | E137 | @ CHI Mon 11/2 |
| 4 |  Dallas StarsDAL |
14 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 17 | .607 | 5 | 7 | 38 | 31 | +7 | 5-4-0 | 3-1-1 | W1 | 6-3-1 | 102 | E137 | @ WSH Tue 11/3 |
| 5 |  St. Louis BluesSTL |
14 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 15 | .536 | 7 | 7 | 44 | 42 | +2 | 4-2-1 | 3-4-0 | W2 | 6-4-0 | 90 | E135 | @ NYR Tue 11/3 |
| 6 |  Nashville PredatorsNSH |
14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 15 | .536 | 4 | 4 | 42 | 47 | -5 | 4-3-2 | 1-1-3 | W1 | 3-3-4 | 90 | E135 | vs CAR Tue 11/3 |
| 7 |  Winnipeg JetsWPG |
14 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 11 | .393 | 4 | 4 | 34 | 47 | -13 | 2-4-1 | 2-3-2 | L8 | 1-7-2 | 66 | E131 | @ CAR Sun 11/1 |
| 8 |  Chicago BlackhawksCHI |
14 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 9 | .321 | 3 | 4 | 31 | 53 | -22 | 4-4-0 | 0-5-1 | L2 | 3-6-1 | 54 | E129 | vs COL Mon 11/2 |
- #
- Place in division
- GP
- Games played
- W
- Wins
- L
- Regulation losses
- OTL
- Overtime and shootout losses
- PTS
- Points (2 per win, 1 per overtime loss)
- P%
- Points percentage
- RW
- Regulation wins
- ROW
- Regulation plus overtime wins
- GF
- Goals for
- GA
- Goals against
- DIFF
- Goal differential
- HOME
- Home record
- AWAY
- Away record
- STRK
- Current streak
- L10
- Last 10 games
- PROJ
- Projected final points at the current rate
- MAGIC
- Magic number: points the division leader needs to clinch (E = points a chaser can still afford to lose; 0 = out of the division race)
- NEXT
- Next game
- x
- Clinched playoff berth
- y
- Clinched wild card
- z
- Clinched division
- *
- Clinched conference and home-ice advantage
- e
- Eliminated from playoff contention
- ▲ ▼
- Moved up or down since the last games
- Playoff cutoff (conference view)
Standings are updated with the completion of each game. Teams are ranked by points, then points percentage, regulation wins and regulation plus overtime wins. Clinch tags use points-only maths and appear once a spot is mathematically settled.
Central Teams
Minnesota Wild9-3-3 · Western Conference No. 2Next: @ Capitals, Sun, Nov 1 3:30 PMUtah Mammoth9-5-0 · Western Conference No. 4Next: @ Flyers, Sun, Nov 1 4:00 PMColorado Avalanche8-5-1 · Western Conference No. 5Next: @ Blackhawks, Mon, Nov 2 8:00 PMDallas Stars8-5-1 · Western Conference No. 7Next: @ Capitals, Tue, Nov 3 7:00 PMSt. Louis Blues7-6-1 · Western Conference No. 8Next: @ Rangers, Tue, Nov 3 7:00 PMNashville Predators5-4-5 · Western Conference No. 9Next: vs Hurricanes, Tue, Nov 3 8:00 PMWinnipeg Jets4-7-3 · Western Conference No. 13Next: @ Hurricanes, Sun, Nov 1 1:00 PMChicago Blackhawks4-9-1 · Western Conference No. 15Next: vs Avalanche, Mon, Nov 2 8:00 PMCentral Games
Results
Upcoming
Recent Central Champions
Colorado Avalanche55-27-5 · +992024-25Winnipeg Jets56-26-3 · +862023-24Dallas Stars52-30-7 · +642022-23Colorado Avalanche51-31-4 · +542021-22Colorado Avalanche56-26-5 · +78Central title history
Since 2021-22 the Central has been won by 3 different teams. The Colorado Avalanche have the most titles in that span with 3. The strongest champion was the Avalanche in 2025-26 at 55-27-5.
In the NHL a division title guarantees home ice in the first round, with the first two rounds played inside the division.
📋 Full Western Conference standings → 🏆 Playoff picture →
Central FAQ
Who is leading the Central?
The Minnesota Wild. They are 9-3-3 as of November 1.
Which teams are in the Central?
The Minnesota Wild, the Utah Mammoth, the Colorado Avalanche, the Dallas Stars, the St. Louis Blues, the Nashville Predators, the Winnipeg Jets and the Chicago Blackhawks.
How far back is second place in the Central?
The Utah Mammoth trail the Minnesota Wild by 1 point.
How many Central teams are in playoff position?
Five as of November 1: the Wild at No. 2, the Mammoth at No. 4, the Avalanche at No. 5, the Stars at No. 7 and the Blues at No. 8.
When is the next Central game?
Avalanche at Blackhawks on Monday, November 2.
Who won the Central last season?
The Colorado Avalanche, at 55-27-5 in 2025-26.
Who has won the Central most often recently?
The Colorado Avalanche, with 3 titles in the last 5 seasons.
How is the Central winner decided?
Most points over the 84-game regular season. Ties on points go to regulation wins, then regulation plus overtime wins, total wins and head-to-head points.
Does the Central winner make the playoffs?
Yes. The top 3 in each division qualify, and the division winner is seeded first in its division bracket.
What does GB mean?
Games behind the division leader. A half game means the teams have played a different number of games.
Updated