Central Division Preview

Wings, Blues will battle it out in a classic confrontation of divisional foes

Detroit Red Wings

They may or may not be a hockey dynasty, depending on your personalized definition, but the Red Wings enter the 2003-04 season with more plot lines than that long ago prime-time soap opera, Dynasty.

Among them: Steve Yzerman's quest to leave the game on his terms; Dominik Hasek's return from retirement relegating Curtis Joseph to expendable status; the impact of Igor Larionov's and Sergei Fedorov's departures, and the arrival of free agents Ray Whitney and native son Derian Hatcher -- he of the vigilante vigilance in his own end.

Never mind the questions surrounding the return of hulking defenseman Jiri Fischer, who missed all but 15 games last season due to a torn ACL, and the production capacity of 19-year old centerman Jiri Hudler. Don't even mention the Red Wings' approach after a stunning first-round playoff exit in April ... until next April. No, there is plenty to keep Red Wings rooters in Detroit and around the NHL circuit preoccupied until then.

On the ice, the Red Wings have enough talent and experience to ride the ups and downs of the long and arduous NHL schedule. They still have the personnel to execute their tried-and-true formula for regular-season success: win at home, and score on the power play. No team leans on that combination more than the Red Wings. A trend to watch with the Wings this season is their effectiveness on the road. Point-wise, they have slipped away from the Joe over the past three seasons, and they aren't nearly as dominant as they are on home ice.

That is not exactly evil twin material as plot twists go, but it may be the only sign of slippage in Hockeytown.

St. Louis Blues

The question in St. Louis remains the same -- are they legitimate contenders or overpaid pretenders? The answer will come in how they fare against their nemesis the Red Wings. Last season, the Blues couldn't beat the Wings, and actually had losing records in the division and against teams with winning records.

Conversely, the Red Wings had the best record against teams above .500 also amassed the most points in divisional play (tied at 31 points with the New Jersey Devils and the Dallas Stars).

So, if the Blues beat the Red Wings head-to-head this season, consider them legit. If not, they will once again be fine fodder for fantasy league players and little more. But with the return of defenseman Chris Pronger, the Blues certainly should improve on the penalty kill. His imposing presence in man-down situations might be enough balance the Wings-Blues disparity, considering the Red Wings' reliance on the power play.

Adding intrigue to the Blues-Red Wings matchup this season is the fact that former Wings netminder Chris Osgood is beginning his first full season as the starter in St. Louis. Can Ozzie conjure up some karma against his former mates? Don't bet against him, especially if he stays healthy. He has a history of following subpar seasons with stronger, more consistent efforts. Last season was an off year, with his save percentage falling below the .900 mark for the first time since his first NHL campaign.

In any event, the Blues-Red Wings rivalry is what the increased emphasis on divisional play this season is all about -- games with passion and meaning that aren't to be missed.

Chicago Blackhawks

Halfway through last season, the Blackhawks looked as if they were on pretty solid footing. Following up the previous season's 96-point total with a 47-point first-half had fans in the Windy City thinking about successive trips to the postseason. Instead, the team imploded and finished far out of the playoff mix.

The fallout of the free fall was that general manager Mike Smith shipped out numerous veterans. The result is that this season the 'Hawks are young and will rely on major contributions from several newcomers. Long-term, head coach Brian Sutter's no-nonsense approach will serve this group well. They will all know what it takes to properly prepare on a nightly basis in the NHL.

The problem is that many might not realize the importance of the message for a few years. And that is the dilemma for the Blackhawks this time around. After missing the playoffs in five of the past six campaigns, how difficult will this necessary transition be in the short-term? And are there any areas that might ease the process?

Two areas that made the difference two seasons ago -- the main reasons the Blackhawks made the playoffs -- was their fine home record and their production on the power play. Unfortunately, the team reverted to their more recent form in both areas last season, and it is hard to imagine a young team having the wherewithal to prevail on home ice. Further, the Blackhawks still don't have a legitimate quarterback to run the power play, meaning improvement with the extra attacker is unlikely.

In fact, improvement this season in Chicago might require a different gauge than the standings.

Nashville Predators

If only the NHL had judges who awarded bonus points for effort, the Predators would be a lock for the playoffs. Unfortunately for the folks in Nashville, no such system is in place, and the postseason most likely will remain a foggy notion in Tennessee.

After all, at some point, teams have to advance to the point where their offensive skill level augments their desire to keep the puck out of their own net. That hasn't happened for the Predators. They remain as offensively challenged as they have been since their inception into the league in 1998.

That blood-from-a-stone makeup on the attack puts enormous pressure on the goaltending and the blueline corps. Last season, goaltender Tomas Vokoun responded exceedingly well to the starters role after Mike Dunham went to the Rangers. He has to perform equally as well this season. Also, the blueline makeover engineered by general manager David Poile leaves the Predators largely unproven on the backline, somewhat of a risky proposition for a team so reliant on defense.

One trend the Predators have to reverse if they are going to stay in the playoff picture throughout the season is their slide as the road team. Their proficiency has fallen each of the past three seasons, and last year they won only nine games on enemy ice -- tied for the fewest in the NHL. Evidently, teams are no longer surprised by the Preds' patience and persistence, and they prepare accordingly when they come to town.

In other words, offense from some unlikely sources is a must for the Predators, which truly would surprise everyone.

Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets may be entering only their fourth NHL season, but this is not a young team. Head coach and general manager Doug MacLean saw what a group of veterans could accomplish when he coached a similarly built Florida Panthers team to the Stanley Cup finals in that franchise's third campaign.

MacLean knows the value of experience in this league and puts a premium on it. Accordingly, he has aggressively fleshed out his roster with guys who have been around. MacLean is so comfortable with the team's makeup, in fact, that he kept the coaching duties to himself after going behind the bench on an interim basis halfway through last season.

However, there are several matters MacLean has to tend to as the bench boss, all stemming from a perplexing lack of consistency. First, the Blue Jackets won 20 games on home ice, yet managed a league-low nine on the road. Second, they conjured up just five wins within the Central Division. the lowest divisional total in the NHL.

Further, there is the matter of keeping the puck out of the net. The Jackets gave up the most goals in the west, this despite posting the puzzling corollary defensive statistic of finishing eighth in the league in penalty killing. The power play was solid as well, finishing 12th overall, meaning the Jackets were abysmal at even strength.

What does it all mean? Well, Columbus had a veteran-laden roster last season, and still operated with unnerving inconsistency. As a result, several from that cast are gone, proving that while experienced players are necessary, vital players with experience better fit the style of play employed by the coach.

In Columbus, coach MacLean hopes that GM MacLean has chosen wisely.

Darren Eliot, a former NHL goaltender, is a hockey analyst for SI.com.