The National Hockey League's Central Division was formed in 1993 as part of the Western Conference in a league realignment. Its predecessor was the Norris Division, and it's also one of two successors to the Northwest Division. The Chicago Blackhawks have been a member of the Central Division in all of its seasons since the original 1993 realignment. The Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues were also original members of the division, but were realigned to a different division for a while before returning; the Stars were moved to the Pacific Division in 1998 (the Stars moved back to the Central in 2013, and the Coyotes followed in 2021), while the Blues were moved to the West Division during the temporary 2020–21 realignment. The Winnipeg Jets were an original member of the division before it deactivated in 1996, with its hockey assets relocating to Phoenix as the Coyotes. The Coyotes assumed the Jets' place in the Central Division before moving to the Pacific Division in 1998. A second incarnation of the Jets–formerly the Atlanta Thrashers from 1999 to 2011–moved back to the Central Division in 2013. Two of its teams—the Minnesota Wild and Nashville Predators—joined the NHL during a league expansion phase between 1998 and 2000. The fourth team in that three-year expansion period, the Columbus Blue Jackets, was once a member of the Central Division, but moved to the Metropolitan Division after the 2013 realignment. In all, the division today comprises the Blackhawks, Jets, Stars, Blues, Wild, Predators, Colorado Avalanche, and Utah Mammoth.
After the addition of the Vegas Golden Knights to the Pacific Division in 2017, the Central Division was the only division in the NHL without eight teams. This situation remained in effect until the 2020–21 NHL season, when the COVID-19 pandemic compelled a radical re-alignment of the divisions, including the temporary abolition of the Eastern and Western conferences. The Central Division was the only existing division retained for the 2020–21 NHL season. Only three of the eight Central Division teams for 2020–21 were members of the division in the previous season. Two seasons later, the Pacific gained another expansion team in the Seattle Kraken, and the Coyotes returned to the Central. In 2024, the Coyotes were relocated to Salt Lake City to become the Mammoth, forming the present members of the Central.
The Central Division has sent five teams to the Stanley Cup playoffs on seven occasions. In the first three seasons after the realignment of 2013, Central Division teams occupied both Wild Card playoff spots in the Western Conference. This occurred again in the 2018–19 season, for the fourth time in six seasons. In the pandemic-shortened 2019–20 season, all Central Division teams made the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs due to the 24-team format.
Division lineups
1993–1996
Chicago Blackhawks Dallas Stars Detroit Red Wings St. Louis Blues Toronto Maple Leafs Winnipeg Jets
Changes from the 1992–93 season The Central Division is formed as the result of NHL realignment The Minnesota North Stars move to Dallas, Texas, and become the Dallas Stars The Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues, and Toronto Maple Leafs come from the Norris Division The Winnipeg Jets come from the Smythe Division
1996–1998
Chicago Blackhawks Dallas Stars Detroit Red Wings Phoenix Coyotes St. Louis Blues Toronto Maple Leafs
Changes from the 1995–96 season The Winnipeg Jets were deactivated The Jets' hockey operations including draft picks, personnel and player contracts moved to Phoenix, Arizona, to become the Phoenix Coyotes The Phoenix Coyotes are added as an expansion team
1998–2000
Chicago Blackhawks Detroit Red Wings Nashville Predators St. Louis Blues
Changes from the 1997–98 season The Dallas Stars and Phoenix Coyotes move to the Pacific Division The Toronto Maple Leafs move to the Northeast Division The Nashville Predators are added as an expansion team
2000–2013
Chicago Blackhawks Columbus Blue Jackets Detroit Red Wings Nashville Predators St. Louis Blues
Changes from the 1999–2000 season The Columbus Blue Jackets are added as an expansion team
2013–2020
Chicago Blackhawks Colorado Avalanche Dallas Stars Minnesota Wild Nashville Predators St. Louis Blues Winnipeg Jets
Changes from the 2012–13 season The Northwest Division is dissolved due to NHL realignment The Columbus Blue Jackets move to the Metropolitan Division The Detroit Red Wings move to the Atlantic Division The Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild come from the Northwest Division The Dallas Stars come from the Pacific Division The Winnipeg Jets (reactivated as the Atlanta Thrashers from 1999 to 2011) come from the Southeast Division
2020–2021
Carolina Hurricanes Chicago Blackhawks Columbus Blue Jackets Dallas Stars Detroit Red Wings Florida Panthers Nashville Predators Tampa Bay Lightning
Changes from the 2019–20 season Due to COVID-19 restrictions the NHL realigned into four divisions with no conferences for the 2020–21 season The Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues move to the West Division The Winnipeg Jets move to the North Division The Carolina Hurricanes and Columbus Blue Jackets come from the Metropolitan Division The Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning come from the Atlantic Division
2021–2024
Arizona Coyotes Chicago Blackhawks Colorado Avalanche Dallas Stars Minnesota Wild Nashville Predators St. Louis Blues Winnipeg Jets
Changes from the 2020–21 season The league returned to using a four division and two conference alignment The Carolina Hurricanes and Columbus Blue Jackets move to the Metropolitan Division The Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning move to the Atlantic Division The Arizona Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues come from the West Division The Winnipeg Jets come from the North Division From the 2013–20 alignment to this grouping, the only change was the addition of the Arizona Coyotes, moved from the Pacific Division to make room there for the expansion Seattle Kraken.
2024–2025
Chicago Blackhawks Colorado Avalanche Dallas Stars Minnesota Wild Nashville Predators St. Louis Blues Utah Hockey Club Winnipeg Jets
Changes from the 2023–24 season The Arizona Coyotes cease operations The Coyotes' hockey operations including draft picks, personnel and player contracts are sold to the expansion Utah Hockey Club based in Salt Lake City, Utah The Utah Hockey Club are added as an expansion team
2025–present
Chicago Blackhawks Colorado Avalanche Dallas Stars Minnesota Wild Nashville Predators St. Louis Blues Utah Mammoth Winnipeg Jets
Changes from the 2024–25 season The Utah Hockey Club is renamed to the Utah Mammoth
Season results (#) Denotes team that won the Stanley Cup (#) Denotes team that won the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl, but lost Stanley Cup Final (#) Denotes team that qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs‡ Denotes winner of the Presidents' Trophy Season 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th (1) Detroit (100) (3) Toronto (98) (4) Dallas (97) (5) St. Louis (91) (6) Chicago (87) Winnipeg (57) (1) Detroit (70)‡ (3) St. Louis (61) (4) Chicago (53) (5) Toronto (50) (8) Dallas (42) Winnipeg (39) (1) Detroit (131)‡ (3) Chicago (94) (4) Toronto (80) (5) St. Louis (80) (8) Winnipeg (78) Dallas (66) (2) Dallas (104) (3) Detroit (94) (5) Phoenix (83) (6) St. Louis (83) (8) Chicago (81) Toronto (68) (1) Dallas (109)‡ (3) Detroit (103) (4) St. Louis (98) (6) Phoenix (82) Chicago (73) Toronto (69) (3) Detroit (93) (5) St. Louis (87) Chicago (70) Nashville (63) (1) St. Louis (114)‡ (4) Detroit (108) Chicago (78) Nashville (70) (2) Detroit (111) (4) St. Louis (103) Nashville (80) Chicago (71) Columbus (71) (1) Detroit (116)‡ (4) St. Louis (98) (5) Chicago (96) Nashville (69) Columbus (57) (2) Detroit (110) (5) St. Louis (99) Chicago (79) Nashville (74) Columbus (69) (1) Detroit (109)‡ (7) St. Louis (91) (8) Nashville (91) Columbus (62) Chicago (59) No season due to 2004–05 NHL lockout (1) Detroit (124)‡ (4) Nashville (106) Columbus (74) Chicago (65) St. Louis (57) (1) Detroit (113) (4) Nashville (110) St. Louis (81) Columbus (73) Chicago (71) (1) Detroit (115)‡ (8) Nashville (91) Chicago (88) Columbus (80) St. Louis (79) (2) Detroit (112) (4)Chicago (104) (6) St. Louis (92) (7) Columbus (92) Nashville (88) (2) Chicago (112) (5) Detroit (102) (7) Nashville (100) St. Louis (90) Columbus (79) (3) Detroit (104) (5) Nashville (99) (8) Chicago (97) St. Louis (87) Columbus (81) (2) St. Louis (109) (4) Nashville (104) (5) Detroit (102) (6) Chicago (101) Columbus (65) (1) Chicago (77)‡ (4) St. Louis (60) (7) Detroit (56) Columbus (55) Nashville (41) (1) Colorado (112) (2) St. Louis (111) (3) Chicago (107) (WC1) Minnesota (98) (WC2) Dallas (91) Nashville (88) Winnipeg (84) (1) St. Louis (109) (2) Nashville (104) (3) Chicago (102) (WC1) Minnesota (100) (WC2) Winnipeg (99) Dallas (92) Colorado (90) (1) Dallas (109) (2) St. Louis (107) (3) Chicago (103) (WC1) Nashville (96) (WC2) Minnesota (87) Colorado (82) Winnipeg (78) (1) Chicago (109) (2) Minnesota (106) (3) St. Louis (99) (WC2) Nashville (94) Winnipeg (87) Dallas (79) Colorado (48) (1) Nashville (117)‡ (2) Winnipeg (114) (3) Minnesota (101) (WC2) Colorado (95) St. Louis (94) Dallas (92) Chicago (76) (1) Nashville (100) (2) Winnipeg (99) (3) St. Louis (99) (WC1) Dallas (93) (WC2) Colorado (90) Chicago (84) Minnesota (83) (1) St. Louis (71 gp94 pts..662 ppct.) (2) Colorado (70 gp92 pts..657 ppct.) (4) Dallas (69 gp82 pts..594 ppct.) (6) Nashville (69 gp78 pts..565 ppct.) (9) Winnipeg (71 gp80 pts..563 ppct.) (10) Minnesota (69 gp77 pts..558 ppct.) (12) Chicago (70 gp72 pts..514 ppct.) Temporary realignment for seasonCarolina (80) Florida (79) Tampa Bay (75) Nashville (64) Dallas (60) Chicago (55) Detroit (48) Columbus (48) (1) Colorado (119) (2) Minnesota (113) (3) St. Louis (109) (WC1) Dallas (98) (WC2) Nashville (97) Winnipeg (89) Chicago (68) Arizona (57) (1) Colorado (109) (2) Dallas (108) (3) Minnesota (103) (WC2) Winnipeg (95) Nashville (92) St. Louis (81) Arizona (70) Chicago (59) (1) Dallas (113) (2) Winnipeg (110) (3) Colorado (107) (WC1) Nashville (99) St. Louis (92) Minnesota (87) Arizona (77) Chicago (52) (1) Winnipeg (116)‡ (2) Dallas (106) (3) Colorado (102) (WC1) Minnesota (97) (WC2) St. Louis (96) Utah (89) Nashville (68) Chicago (61) (1) Colorado (121)‡ (2) Dallas (112) (3) Minnesota (104) (WC1) Utah (92) St. Louis (86) Nashville (86) Winnipeg (82) Chicago (72) Notes The 1994–95 NHL season was shortened to 48 games due to the lockout. The 2012–13 NHL season was shortened to 48 games due to the lockout. The 2019–20 NHL season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the imbalance in the number of games played among teams, the regular season standings were determined by points percentage. The 2020–21 NHL season was shortened to 56 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Canada–United States border closure.
Central Division titles won by team Teams in bold are currently in the division. Team Wins Last win Detroit Red Wings 13 2011 Colorado Avalanche 4 2026 Dallas Stars 4 2024 St. Louis Blues 4 2020 Chicago Blackhawks 3 2017 Nashville Predators 2 2019 Carolina Hurricanes 1 2021 Winnipeg Jets 1 2025 Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes 0 — Columbus Blue Jackets 0 — Florida Panthers 0 — Minnesota Wild 0 — Tampa Bay Lightning 0 — Toronto Maple Leafs 0 — Utah Mammoth 0 —
References
NHL history