NHL Central Division capsules: Avs set for title defense
Close but no cigar was a common theme for Central Division teams until the St. Louis Blues won the Stanley Cup title in 2019. The Colorado Avalanche further buried that reputation with a championship run last season.
Many consider the Avalanche the favorite to lift the Cup again in 2023.
Winning back-to-back championships would be nothing new in the NHL. The Pittsburgh Penguins won consecutive championships in 2016 and