Chicago Blackhawks Awards for the 1st Half of the 2013-14 Season

The Chicago Blackhawks have played nearly as well in 2013-14 as they did when they won the Stanley Cup last year.

Given the level of talent throughout the roster, that's not a surprise. While recent Stanley Cup winners have had to contend with the dreaded "hangover" following their championship season, the Blackhawks have played as if they are intent on winning their second championship in a row and third in five years.

They have a 28-7-7 record and lead the NHL's Central Division. The Blackhawks and the Anaheim Ducks are tied atop the league standings with 63 points.

Here's our look at the Blackhawks' award winners for the first half of the 2013-14 season.

Most Improved Player: Brandon Saad

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Brandon Saad is ready to take his place with the top stars on the Chicago Blackhawks. 

The second-year player has made a huge jump this season after a solid rookie season. It's not a surprise because Saad has all the measurables. He has size at 6'1" and 202 pounds, and has excellent skating speed.

Saad is currently right wing on the Blackhawks' third line with Andrew Shaw and Bryan Bickell, but he can play anywhere head coach Joel Quenneville puts him.

Saad scored 10 goals and 17 assists as a rookie in 46 games last year. While he was clearly a talented player, he was not overly assertive.

This year, Saad has scored 14 goals and 16 assists in his first 42 games. He is the Blackhawks' sixth-leading scorer and he has a plus-16 rating. He also has a 59.6 Corsi for rating, per extraskater.com, which means he is tied with Jonathan Toews with the second-best figure on the team.

Saad is a physical player who is not afraid to go into the corner, use his body and come away with the puck. He can also make the perfect tape-to-tape pass and put the puck in the top corner of the net. 

Saad has improved and continues to get better.

Most Underrated Player: Andrew Shaw

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Andrew Shaw makes a positive contribution every time he steps on the ice. He may not be the biggest, strongest or best offensive player, but he does something to help the Blackhawks win on a regular basis.

Shaw is a grinder who is not afraid of physical contact even if he is just 5'10" and 180 pounds. He has the guts to go in the corner with bigger players, and if he has to eat an elbow to make a play, he will do it.

Despite his lack of size, Shaw will go to the front of the net to create screens that keep opposing goalies from getting a good view of the oncoming shot. That kind of work does not always show up on the scoresheet with goals or assists, but head coach Joel Quenneville appreciates the hard work that Shaw puts in.

"It's a knack of finding that perfect spot where it's almost like a perfect lane for the screen," Quenneville told Tim Sassone of the Daily Herald. "He's still got a quick stick to deflect pucks. He's not afraid to go there and he's willing. He does a lot of good things for the power play."

Shaw has scored 11 goals and 10 assists, and his 60.0 Corsi for percentage leads the team.

Most Valuable Player: Patrick Kane

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Patrick Kane has been one of the NHL's most talented players since he was drafted by Chicago with the No. 1 pick in the 2007 draft.

His scintillating stickhandling and his ability to get off a hard, accurate shot in an instant has always made him a headline-type player.

However, he seemed to take his game a lot more seriously in 2013. He was focused on his play, and he eliminated the off-the-ice incidents that had dogged him earlier in his career.

Kane won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player in the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs, and he has continued that stellar play in the 2013-14 regular season.

Kane has scored 23 goals and 30 assists through the Blackhawks' first 42 games, and his 53-point total is is second behind NHL scoring leader Sidney Crosby (59 points).

Kane had a 14-game point-scoring streak that was stopped by the Los Angeles Kings Dec. 31.

Best Defenseman: Duncan Keith

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Duncan Keith is not only the Chicago Blackhawks' best defenseman, he is the leading candidate to win the Norris Trophy this season.

Keith has been one of the best offensive defensemen in the league with three goals and 36 assists in his first 42 games. His stellar passing has not only paid off on the scoresheet, it allows him to get the team out of trouble when he gets possession of the puck in the Blackhawks' zone.

Keith rarely talks about his own game, but teammate Patrick Sharp was not hesitant to sing Keith's praises.

“He’s skating well, he came into camp in great shape and it’s paying off,” Sharp told Tracey Myers of CSN Chicago. “He’s been playing well on that power play and makes good plays defensively as well. He’s getting the (Norris) recognition now because his points and offensive numbers are high, but we know how valuable he is in all different areas.”

Keith's strength and consistency is a big reason the Blackhawks are riding high again this season.

Best Offensive Player: Patrick Sharp

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Perhaps we're stretching it a bit to say that Patrick Sharp is a better offensive player than Kane, but the right winger deserves recognition because he is having yet another stellar season.

Sharp is second on the team in scoring, having registered 22 goals and 19 assists through the first 42 games. Sharp is also a solid plus-18 and has a 58.0 Corsi for percentage.

Sharp's numbers are certainly worthy of recognition, but he plays the game with a drive and creativity that allow him to get the edge on many opposing goaltenders.

He tends to go to his backhand when it looks like he is going to shoot with his forehand, and he likes to fire a hard wrist shot when opponents believe he is going to string moves together.

Sharp's ability to outwork and outthink opponents has him on pace to score 40 goals or more this season and may earn him a spot on the Canadian Olympic team.

Best All-Around Player: Jonathan Toews

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Jonathan Toews is the heart and soul of the Chicago Blackhawks.

While Kane may be the Blackhawks' leading candidate to contend for the Hart Trophy this year, you get the feeling that Toews could put himself in the running for that award in a very short period of time.

Toews is simply the Blackhawks' leader and most responsible player. He has 15 goals and 25 assists, and that ranks third on the team in scoring. Toews is plus-16 and also has a 59.6 Corsi for percentage.

Toews won the Selke Trophy as the NHL's best defensive forward last season, and he is having another superb season on the defensive end. He has also won 57.1 percent of his faceoffs.

As impressive as his numbers are, Toews' game is simply about doing anything he can to help the Blackhawks win. His teammates see how hard he works every night and they tend to work harder themselves.

"You respect a player like that who leads not only off the ice but by example on the ice the way he plays," Kane told the Associated Press back in June (h/t National Post). "That's the epitome of a leader when you're doing that."