How do Avalanche, Central Division rivals stack up after free agency?

The Central Division had the best top-three teams in the NHL last season, but a terrible last-place club kept it from being the league’s best from top to bottom.

That might change this season.

It’s been a splashy start to the 2024 offseason around the league, but a few of the also-rans in the Central look much improved just a few days into July. With big trades and big free-agent signings, the Colorado Avalanche’s division has been at the vanguard of the league’s offseason action.

Where do the eight clubs stand after the initial flurry? Which way are they trending?

Let’s dig in.

Dallas Stars (113 points)

In: F Mathew Dumba, D Ilya Lyubushkin, D Brendan Smith, F Colin Blackwell, G Casey DeSmith

Out: D Chris Tanev (trade), D Ryan Suter (buyout), F Radek Faksa (trade), F Ty Dellandrea (trade), D Jani Hakanpää, F Joe Pavelski (retired), F Craig Smith, G Scott Wedgewood

Prospects: F Mavrik Bourque, D Lian Bischel

Cap space: $7.14 million (RFA Thomas Harley)

Recap: The defense corps is not better. Maybe the Stars have a No. 6 that coach Pete DeBoer can trust but swapping out Tanev and Suter for Dumba and Lyubushkin or Smith is a downgrade. Wedgewood has been slightly better than DeSmith each of the past two seasons. A full season of Bourque and Logan Stankoven could improve the forward group, which was already one of the best in the league.

Still one of the best teams in the NHL and the rising young talent could push the Stars forward, but the changes to the edges of the roster were questionable.

Stock: Down, ever so slightly

Winnipeg Jets (110 points)

In: G Kaapo Kahkonen, G Eric Comrie

Out: F Sean Monahan, F Tyler Toffoli, D Brenden Dillon, D Nate Schmidt (buyout), G Laurent Brossoit

Prospects: F Brad Lambert, F Chaz Lucius

Cap space: $7.89 million (RFAs Cole Perfetti, David Gustafsson and Logan Stanley)

Recap: The Jets were unable to keep their two big trade deadline additions and haven’t done much to improve the team. There have been reports about possibly trading top prospect Rutger McGroarty because he doesn’t want to sign with the club. The top addition is a backup goalie who probably isn’t as good as the one they lost.

The bones of the breakout team from a year ago are still in place, but in an improved division one or two key injuries could lead to a tumble in the standings.

Stock: Down

Colorado Avalanche (107 points)

In: D Calvin de Haan, D Erik Brannstrom, F Parker Kelly, F Jere Innala

Out: D Sean Walker, D Jack Johnson, D Caleb Jones, F Zach Parise (retired), F Andrew Cogliano (retired), F Yakov Trenin, F Brandon Duhaime

Prospects: F Nikolai Kovalenko, F Jean-Luc Foudy, D Sam Malinski

Limbo: F Valeri Nichushkin (suspended until at least mid-November)

Cap space: None, or $3.89 million while Nichushkin is out

Recap: Getting Casey Mittelstadt and Jonathan Drouin signed for a combined $8 million was fantastic work. Some combination of de Haan, Brannstrom and Malinski isn’t better than Walker and Johnson, but it might not be a significant dip. The ultimate ceiling of this edition is tied entirely to what the Avs get from Nichushkin and captain Gabe Landeskog, or what they add in place of one or both of them once there is clarity about their situations.

Stock: Steady, pending … you know

Nashville Predators (99 points)

In: F Steven Stamkos, F Jonathan Marchessault, D Brady Skjei, G Scott Wedgewood

Out: F Jason Zucker, F Anthony Beauvillier, D Tyson Barrie, G Kevin Lankinen

Prospects: G Yaroslav Askarov

Cap space: None

Recap: Certainly the flashiest moves on July 1. There will be lots of excitement to start the year in Smashville with Stamkos and Marchessault filling out a suddenly more dangerous lineup. That’s a lot of years and money for Skjei, who now needs to be a No. 2 guy. The Predators are deeper, and definitely older. Feels like a low ceiling (good, maybe really good … but not great) but a high floor for this group.

Stock: Up, maybe not quite as much as some think

St. Louis Blues (92 points)

In: F Radek Faksa (trade), F Mathieu Joseph (trade), D Pierre-Oliver Joseph,

Out: F Kevin Hayes (trade)

Prospects: F Zachary Bolduc

Cap space: $8.11 million (RFA Nikita Alexandrov)

Recap: This franchise has three sets of players – the old guys, the in-their-prime guys and the kids who aren’t ready yet. It feels like improvements by the young-ish core will be muted as the aging guys keep declining, and most of the prospects are still a year or two away.

Fun group of forwards, aging-and-not-great defense corps and a volatile No. 1 goalie. Stuck in the middle of the league, but could slip a couple of spots in this division.

Stock: Down