Central Division Breakout Candidates

COLORADO AVALANCHE

April 5 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Avalanche forward

(27) during the first period of the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Steve Downie – While all eyes will be on Nathan MacKinnon and the top end offensive players on the Avs, watch out for Downie, who is a fierce competitor with some unrealized offensive upside. A knee injury kept him out of most of the season, and he was limited to 2 games. If healthy, watch out for this guy (literally and figuratively).