Rocky Wirtz inherited some excellent young players when he took the helm in Chicago, specifically right winger Patrick Kane Jr. and center Jonathan Toews.

FORBES: Hockey

"They obviously have the advantage right now because they've got four points (in their two meetings) and we've got one, so I'm sure they're feeling pretty good, " Chicago's Patrick Kane said.

NPR: Ducks Rally Past Chicago 4-2 In Top 2 Teams' Clash

As the dual centerpieces of the NHL's best team, the Blackhawks' Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews could siphon votes from each other, and Washington's Alex Ovechkin (a two-time MVP) has scored 18 goals over his previous 15 games.

WSJ: The MVP of Long Island

Patrick Kane and Andrew Shaw scored in the tiebreaker for the Blackhawks (13-0-3), who earned their third consecutive win and joined the 2006-07 Anaheim Ducks as the only teams to record at least one point in the first 16 games of a season.

NPR: Blackhawks Match Record For Opening Point Streak

The Blackhawks' four most talented and important players are all homegrown: forwards Patrick Kane (the No. 1-overall pick in 2007) and Jonathan Toews (No. 3 overall in 2006) and defensemen Duncan Keith (a second-round selection in 2002) and Brent Seabrook (No. 14 overall in 2003).

WSJ: How the Chicago Blackhawks Became Unbeatable