The Central Division is always among the most compelling groups in the NHL, and it's looking like it will crown a new champion in 2017-18.

That's because last season's top team appears destined to take a significant step back, while each of its three primary rivals has improved, as did another squad that's looking to become competitive again. Overall, the only real certainty should be who finishes last.

Here's how we see the Central shaking out:

1. Nashville Predators

The Predators didn't truly peak until the playoffs began last season, but they're ready to carry over their success from the spring into the fall.

Nashville will be without steady defenseman Ryan Ellis for several months, but this team is well suited to deal with his absence, with Roman Josi, P.K. Subban and Mattias Ekholm comprising the rest of one of the league's best top-four defensive corps.

General manager David Poile brought back Scott Hartnell and added Nick Bonino to replace the retired Mike Fisher this summer, ensuring the Predators have a chance to build on their Stanley Cup Final appearance by being the class of the division in the upcoming season.

2. Minnesota Wild

Only the Washington Capitals had a better goal differential than the Wild last season, and not much has changed for Minnesota.

Gone are Marco Scandella and Jason Pominville, but like the Predators, the Wild are strong enough on the back end to withstand Scandella's departure, and their forward group is still very deep.

Minnesota's bottom six is better now, and the Wild still boast an elite goaltender in Devan Dubnyk, so the team should finish respectably, with a shot at claiming the division crown.

3. St. Louis Blues

Much like the Wild, the Blues are hoping continuity leads to improvement come playoff time.

Much of last season's team remains intact, and it also added Brayden Schenn, who's a big upgrade over the departed Jori Lehtera. That draft-night trade helped St. Louis up front, and it looms particularly large in light of preseason injuries to Alex Steen and Robby Fabbri.

St. Louis failed to make it out of the second round last season, but the club that still features Vladimir Tarasenko, Alex Pietrangelo, Colton Parayko, and Jake Allen should be a threat to advance to the Western Conference Final.

4. Dallas Stars

The Stars improved the most on paper of any team in the division over the summer, but the actual impact of their free-agent additions remains to be seen.

Alex Radulov, Martin Hanzal, Marc Methot, and Ben Bishop will certainly help Dallas exceed the 79-point, sixth-place finish of a season ago, but it'll be tough for the Stars to crack the top three, given how stiff the competition is.

5. Chicago Blackhawks

It's going to be a disappointing season in the Windy City.

The Blackhawks are the defending Central Division champs, but after being swept out of the first round by the Predators in the spring, they're now without dynamic winger Artemi Panarin (traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Brandon Saad) and Marian Hossa (out for the season due to a skin disorder).

Chicago also has an aging top pairing on defense, as Duncan Keith turned 34 in July, and Brent Seabrook celebrated his 32nd birthday in April.

The Blackhawks do have some promising young forwards and will still rely on the experience of their veteran core, but they're in danger of falling into a period of decline.

6. Winnipeg Jets

There are reasons for optimism in Manitoba, but the Jets aren't quite ready to take off.

While there's some exciting, young talent on this roster and more coming down the pipeline, this team likely still needs some time to develop before it can challenge for a playoff spot.

Even a wild-card berth seems questionable. The forward group has plenty of question marks beyond the top line, and while Steve Mason is better than Ondrej Pavelec, goaltending will still be a concern.

Patrik Laine should make Winnipeg games worth watching, but that won't be enough to propel the Jets into the postseason.

7. Colorado Avalanche

It's entirely possible that the Avalanche, who set the salary-cap era record for futility last season, could be even worse in 2017-18.

Colorado is in the midst of its own youth movement with the likes of Mikko Rantanen, Tyson Jost, and Nikita Zadorov expected to take on larger roles this fall, but when (if?) Matt Duchene eventually gets traded, that will only make it more likely that the Avalanche once again finish in the basement of the Central Division with one of the league's worst records.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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TORONTO - The NHL's third all-time leading point producer isn't too worried about the preseason crackdown on faceoff violations.

"It's just an adjustment period for the players. We got a little loose in the way we wanted the game officiated, and that happens," Mark Messier told theScore Wednesday at the launch of Bauer's "NeuroShield" collar.

"Every year, come September, (there's) a reminder for the players of what's tolerable and what's not, and the players will adjust," he said. "Once the season starts, I don't see it being an issue."

In the preseason, NHL officials have ramped up enforcement of slashing infractions as well as existing faceoff rules that previously went largely uncalled, drawing criticism from players as well as from fans and the media.

Offside challenges have been another source of officiating controversy, and while the league will reportedly attempt to curb the number of reviews with a minor penalty for lost challenges, Messier doesn't blame head coaches for using them to their advantage last season.

"Coaches are smart guys, and (if) they realize an opportunity to benefit the team, they'll use it," he said. "(Previously), there was no penalty for being wrong, and so they used it as a (way) to benefit the team, to rest a player or to get a timeout or whatever. Those are all things that are up for the general managers and the league, and all that. Whatever they decide upon, everybody will play by the rules."

Messier also weighed in on several other topics, including the NHL's lack of participation in the upcoming Olympic Games, the Stanley Cup hopes of the two franchises he's primarily associated with, and whether he sees any current player who reminds him of himself:

Alex Ovechkin has now accepted the NHL's position on the Olympics, and the league clearly isn't changing its mind on forgoing Pyeongchang, but do you think this is a missed opportunity?

"It's not (about) whether I like it or agree (about) whether they should or shouldn't go. It's a tough situation for the owners and it's a tough situation for the players. Ultimately, the players work for the owners, and (the) decision was not to go. The players have to live by it, it's just as simple as that. Who's right or who's wrong is really indifferent at this particular time. The decision has been made and everybody's going to have to live with it."

Are the Edmonton Oilers ready to be a legitimate Stanley Cup contender or do they need a bit more time to grow as a team?

"Well, I think you can say (that) anybody that makes the playoffs can potentially be a Cup contender, and I think any time you've got a player like (Connor) McDavid leading the way, you have to be thinking that special things are on the horizon, but of course, they still have to prove it.

"They had a great year last year, and I think they might have been a little disappointed that they didn't go further because I think they probably could (have), so it'll be an interesting year for them this year. They're going to have to earn it. The teams around the league will be ready for them, and they won't surprise anybody this year. The better team you become, the tougher it could get, so it'll be interesting to see how it unfolds for the Oilers."

Can the New York Rangers get back to their Cup Final and conference final form of a few years ago, or are they going to continue to have difficulty getting back there?

"They're a playoff team for sure, (but) there's a lot of competition. A lot has to go right for any team to win the Stanley Cup. You've gotta be lucky, you've gotta be good, you've gotta stay healthy. They've proven that they've had the goaltending there, (but) they're in a bit of a transition period right now, so time will only tell there, but I think everybody would agree that they're a playoff team."

There are a lot of great players in the NHL these days, and you're one of the greatest of all time, but do you see any current players who remind you of yourself?

"(I) never compare players ever. Never liked to compare players. I don't think it's fair to any player to compare (them) to any player in the past or the future. I think every player has to make it on their own merits and their own individual characteristics.

"There will never be another Wayne Gretzky. There will never be another Mario Lemieux. There will never be another Gordie Howe. There will never be (another) Sidney Crosby. There will never be (another) Jonathan Toews. These guys are who they are, and the reason they are who they are is because they've been able to put their own (stamp) on it without comparisons (to) anybody else. I don't think it's fair to compare young kids. I think it puts undue pressure on them and I think it's important for them to make a name on their own for their own individual style and skill."

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A new rule will punish teams that unsuccessfully issue an offside challenge by assessing those clubs a two-minute penalty for every failed review, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports.

The cost of losing a goaltender interference review will remain the same, as teams that unsuccessfully challenge for that infraction will still give up a timeout, according to Friedman.

There is reportedly one additional rule change that will take effect beginning this season, as teams will no longer be allowed to call a timeout immediately after icing the puck.

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Mike Ribeiro appears to be in dire straits.

The longtime NHL forward's family and representatives haven't been able to contact him recently and he had a substance abuse relapse in December, his agent, Bob Perno, told TSN 690's Tony Marinaro on Thursday.

The agent last spoke to Ribeiro at the end of last season and has been attempting to contact his client lately to no avail.

"I have been trying as (recently) as last week and he's not answering any calls ... so this is a real issue now," Perno said, adding that not even Ribeiro's wife or children have been able to reach him.

"The last time he saw the kids was at the end of the season ... (his wife) Tam(ara) let him see the kids for a little while and then he left and basically has dropped off the map," the agent lamented.

Despite these troubling revelations, Perno doesn't believe Ribeiro has hit rock bottom.

"I really don't think so, because all the experts say, when you hit rock bottom, that's when you reach out for help. And he hasn't reached out for help yet this year," Perno said.

"He had a relapse probably just before Christmas, so ... I don't think he's hit rock bottom," the agent added. "We're trying to get a hold of him in Nashville. We know he's somewhere in Nashville. His family has seen him. His wife has seen him, briefly, and then he disappeared into the woodwork. We're trying to get a hold of him (but) he doesn't answer his phone. Nobody hears from him, so I don't think he's hit rock bottom."

Perno declined to get into the specifics of which substances Ribeiro is struggling with, but said Ribeiro was clean for about two years before cutting his most recent rehab program short.

"It is a nightmare, and it's a very sad situation that a player with such talent (who has) had such a great career ... to end on this note is ... it's sad and I'm worried," Perno said. "I'm just frustrated because what else can you do?"

Ribeiro, 37, played the last three seasons with the Nashville Predators. He was waived by the club in February and eventually assigned to the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals, with whom he finished out the 2016-17 campaign.

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The Calgary Flames' 2017 first-round pick is officially under contract.

Juuso Valimaki, the 16th overall selection in last month's draft, signed his entry-level deal Friday.

The 18-year-old Finnish defenseman scored 19 goals and racked up 61 points in 60 regular-season games with the WHL's Tri-City Americans this past season.

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The Carolina Hurricanes have secured a significant piece of their young core for the long haul.

Jaccob Slavin agreed to a seven-year contract extension with an average annual value of $5.3 million Wednesday.

Slavin's new deal will begin in 2018-19 and run through 2024-25. He'll carry a cap hit of $742,500 in the final season of his entry-level deal beginning this fall.

The 23-year-old led the Hurricanes in time-on-ice, notched 34 points and played all 82 games in 2016-17, his second NHL season.

"Jaccob is one of the cornerstones of our team moving forward, and it was important to secure him with our organization long term," Carolina general manager Ron Francis said Wednesday in a statement.

The Hurricanes made Slavin a fourth-round pick in 2012.

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The frenzy never gets old.

More than 70 contracts were consummated in the first four hours after the NHL's annual summer signing window opened, according to CapFriendly, though some of the biggest names remained unsigned.

A deluge of deals came down before the biggest fish on the market was scooped up, and some of them were better conceived than others.

Here are some winners and losers from the first afternoon of this summer's free-agency period:

Winners

New York Rangers

It took about two-and-a-half hours, but the Rangers made the most significant splash, landing the No. 1 target, Kevin Shattenkirk.

Getting the offensively skilled blue-liner signed was a big enough win on its own, but landing him on a four-year deal rather than a five or six-year pact was the real victory for the Blueshirts.

He gives New York a productive power-play quarterback and bona fide top-pairing defenseman on a contract that could have been much worse.

Nashville Predators

The Predators made a couple of solid depth signings Saturday, turning back the clock by adding versatile veteran Scott Hartnell on an extremely team-friendly one-year, $1-million deal and picking up former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Nick Bonino on a four-year, $16.4-million agreement.

The Hartnell deal was particularly savvy despite the 35-year-old's decreased production this past season, considering the Columbus Blue Jackets still owe him $5 million over the next four years after buying out his previous deal earlier this week.

Carolina Hurricanes

Reunited and it feels so good.

Justin Williams was one of a handful of players who rejoined former teams Saturday, and the Hurricanes did well by getting him to return to Raleigh on a two-year, $9-million deal.

Yes, he's 35, but he scored more than 20 goals in each of the last two seasons with the Washington Capitals, and his playoff prowess is well documented.

The up-and-coming Hurricanes should benefit from his experience, his nose for the net, and of course, his knack for timely scoring.

NHL general managers as a whole

If there was one major takeaway from the initial hours of free agency, it was that NHL GMs clearly learned from the blunders of years past.

Only a few of the contracts signed Saturday were unreasonable, cap hit-wise, and most of the deals were of the relatively short-term variety.

No free agent signed a contract of more than five years in length in the opening hours of the frenzy, as the majority of the agreements came with one, two, or three-year terms.

Whether it was due to the newly flat salary cap or the less-than-elite free-agent crop, or both, the trend toward shorter, more affordable contracts was clearly evident.

Losers

Winnipeg Jets

Yes, the Jets went out and got a defenseman and a goaltender, but both players come with big-time question marks.

Dmitry Kulikov was limited to 47 games this past season with a back injury that made him feel like an old man, as he told the Olean Times Herald's Bill Hoppe back in February.

He's 26 years old.

The Jets also addressed their goaltending Saturday, but Steve Mason hardly inspires confidence.

The former Philadelphia Flyers netminder posted a .908 save percentage and a 2.66 GAA while losing more games (29) than he won (26) in 2016-17. He's definitely capable of playing well for stretches, but it's been a few years since he's been reliable over a full season.

Montreal Canadiens

Marc Bergevin just loves making questionable moves.

This one certainly wasn't on the level of the P.K. Subban trade as far as controversial transactions go, but the Canadiens GM pulled off another head-scratcher Saturday, giving bottom-pairing defenseman Karl Alzner a five-year deal worth a reported $23.125 million.

Alzner is incredibly durable, and plays a stay-at-home style, but if the Canadiens are counting on the rearguard to consistently log top-pairing minutes, it could be a long season in Montreal.

Bergevin failed to address the Canadiens' biggest need, that being down the middle, coming away with journeyman Peter Holland rather than landing a much better center like Martin Hanzal.

The Canadiens GM could redeem himself in the coming days if he's able to sign Carey Price to an extension and get Alexander Radulov back on a reasonable new deal, but Saturday's moves left something to be desired.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are adding experience on the blue line.

Ron Hainsey agreed to a two-year deal worth "around $3 million per year," according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.

The 36-year-old helped the Pittsburgh Penguins win their second consecutive championship this spring after being acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes in February.

Hainsey ranked second on the Penguins in average ice time in the playoffs, logging 21:06 per game.

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Free-Agent Signing Period
When: Saturday, July 1, 12 p.m. ET
TV: TSN (Saturday, 11 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. ET), Sportsnet/Sportsnet 360 (11 a.m.- 7 p.m. ET), NHL Network (1 p.m.- 6 p.m. ET)

The mayhem is almost upon us.

It all begins Saturday at the stroke of noon ET, when pending unrestricted and restricted free agents can officially sign new deals, and when qualifying offers can officially be accepted.

The 2017 free-agent class lacks the star power of previous years, but there will be plenty of talent available to clubs looking to either land a big fish or simply add depth.

Pending UFAs have been visiting teams and RFAs have been discussing potential deals with their clubs all week, but they aren't allowed to put pen to paper until Saturday.

Here's what you need to know before the money starts flying:

The biggest prize

Kevin Shattenkirk will be the top name available when the mayhem begins, and the skilled puck-moving defenseman is already garnering interest.

• Report: Lightning reach out to Shattenkirk
• 5 teams with best shot at landing Shattenkirk in free agency

The consistent point producer and power-play quarterback could slide right into a contending team's top-four, or instantly become a rebuilding club's No. 1 blue-liner.

The best of the rest

Alexander Radulov is arguably the best forward available, but several other players could cash in when the floodgates open.

Could Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau really leave the San Jose Sharks? Both 37-year-old forwards are pending UFAs, and Thornton already has at least three teams calling about his services.

• Report: Kings have been in contact with Joe Thornton
• Report: Maple Leafs, Predators have reached out to Thornton

It's hard to imagine either of the Sharks' elder statesmen putting on other uniforms, but it's entirely possible.

Shattenkirk isn't the only member of the 2016-17 Washington Capitals who'll likely be leaving D.C.

Karl Alzner has reportedly been in contact with several teams this week.

• Report: Jets, Canadiens showing strong interest in Alzner
• Report: Blackhawks, Canadiens among teams interested in Alzner

Then there's Justin Williams.

• Report: Justin Williams narrows list down to 3-4 teams
• Report: Justin Williams being targeted by at least 10 teams
• 3 viable landing spots for Justin Williams in free agency

Nick Bonino is reportedly in high demand after helping the Pittsburgh Penguins win their second straight Stanley Cup while playing through a broken tibia and a fractured ankle.

One of the Penguins' biggest rivals is apparently in the mix to sign him.

• Report: Blue Jackets among 10 teams with serious interest in Nick Bonino

Another veteran forward with championship experience is getting some attention, too.

• Report: 9 teams have reached out to UFA Patrick Sharp

The top 80

Earlier this month, we compiled an extensive list of the best pending UFAs expected to hit the market.

Some of them have signed since then, most notably T.J. Oshie, who inked an eight-year, $46-million deal to stay with the Capitals.

Still, if you want to be fully prepared for Saturday's frenzy, here they are from bottom to top:

• 80-66
• 65-51
• 50-41
• 40-31
• 30-21
• 20-11
• 10-1

What's actually going to happen Saturday?

It's crystal ball time. Who goes where? What will be the biggest surprises? Who will be left without a new deal when the dust settles?

• 5 predictions for NHL free agency

Looking back

Last summer, there were big names on the market, but the biggest star took care of business before the official start of free agency.

Steven Stamkos chose to stay with the Tampa Bay Lightning, agreeing to a mega-deal that was reported two days before the frenzy began.

On July 1, 2016, players like Kyle Okposo, Milan Lucic, Andrew Ladd, and Loui Eriksson signed long-term contracts with new clubs.

Some of those pacts aren't looking so good now.

Will teams learn from the 2016 frenzy or continue to shell out heavy coin and term for less than top-tier talent?

We'll find out Saturday at high noon ET.

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The first round of the NHL draft featured a slightly unexpected opening selection, a lack of fireworks in the middle, and a trio of late deals.

The New Jersey Devils took Nico Hischier over Nolan Patrick with the first overall pick, but no genuine drama came until the opening round was about to conclude.

Here are the winners and losers on the first day and night of the 2017 draft festivities in Chicago:

Winners

St. Louis Blues

The Blues were clearly the biggest winners, and it wasn't particularly close.

St. Louis landed 25-goal scorer Brayden Schenn from the Philadelphia Flyers for Jori Lehtera, the 27th overall pick that became Morgan Frost, and a conditional first-rounder next year.

The Blues also dealt grinder Ryan Reaves and the 51st pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Oskar Sundqvist and the 31st selection, which they used to take Klim Kostin, the top-ranked European skater coming into the draft.

Not only that, but they made a smooth pick by taking Rob(ert) Thomas 20th overall.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Mark Hunter worked his magic yet again.

The Leafs assistant general manager and resident draft guru nabbed promising Swedish defenseman Timothy Liljegren at No. 17, telling Sportsnet's Chris Johnston afterwards that he "would have been shocked" last year to hear Liljegren would be taken in that spot in 2017.

Toronto's historical success in first round is well documented - most notably with Mitch Marner and William Nylander - but Hunter's latest pick earned universal praise in its own right.

Finland

It was a good night to be a Finnish draft prospect.

A record six Finns were taken in the first round, according to Sportsnet, including third overall choice Miro Heiskanen and 30th pick Eeli Tolvanen.

Heiskanen was the only one to go in the top 10, but Finland accounted for four defensemen and two wingers in the first 31 selections.

Nashville Predators

When you're a Stanley Cup finalist, you're not typically going to have a high pick, and the Predators were stuck with the penultimate choice in Round 1, but that didn't stop GM of the Year David Poile from making his mark.

Nashville went for Tolvanen, who ESPN's Corey Pronman called "the steal of the first round," according to The Tennessean's Adam Vingan.

Losers

Pittsburgh Penguins

The two-time defending champions came into the night holding the final pick of the opening round, but GM Jim Rutherford decided to package it with Sundqvist to get his hands on Reaves, a physical winger who hit career highs with seven goals and 13 points to go along with his 104 penalty minutes this season.

If Kostin turns into the dynamic scorer some believe he will be, this one's going to look even worse on Rutherford than it already does.

Colorado Avalanche

In a bit of trade deadline deja vu, Matt Duchene didn't go anywhere on the first night of this draft.

The Avalanche were happy to take Cale Makar fourth overall, but Joe Sakic missed an opportunity to move into the top two for Hischier or Patrick despite boasting one of the league's biggest trade chips.

Duchene could certainly be moved later Friday night or on Saturday when the draft resumes, but Colorado's reluctance to pull the trigger on a trade at the top of the draft might be a decision the Avalanche brass comes to regret.

Detroit Red Wings

Ken Holland is clearly not used to picking this high.

Michael Rasmussen wasn't a brutal selection at No. 9, but the Red Wings had better options on the board, arguably including Gabriel Vilardi, who went to the Los Angeles Kings two picks later.

Detroit hasn't picked in the top 10 since 1991, but that doesn't excuse a choice that could have been better.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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