Central Division Rankings of Power: Jan 21, 2015

With the All-Star break on the horizon, the playoff picture is coming into focus. It’s kind of like looking into a murky lake. You can make out some stones, plants, and perhaps a fish at the bottom, but realize that the poor water quality may still leave some things unseen.

The Central Division is living up to its reputation as the toughest division in hockey. Not only does it house the team with the league’s highest winning percentage, the Nashville Predators, but it also doesn’t have a team below 0.500. No other division can boast that.

However, if the Central wants to send five representatives to the postseason, same as last year, the Avalanche, Stars, or Wild will need to go on a hot streak. As of right now, the final wild-card slot belongs to the Pacific. This week’s power rankings will examine a key strength and weakness of each team, which will likely determine their fate down the stretch.