Chicago Blackhawks Insider: Who Was the First-Half MVP?

The first half of the 2010-2011 NHL season is in the books, and the Blackhawks come out of the break with a record of 26-20-4 which isn’t great (compared to the best record in the NHL right now with the Philadelphia Flyers coming in with a 34-13-5).

However, they still have a clear shot at getting to the playoffs this season, and if they can get in, they have a good shot at defending their Stanley Cup title.

The Hawks have several good players on their team with guys like Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith being the core of the team. 

Those guys helped lead the Blackhawks to a Stanley Cup win last year and have been an important part of the team this year.

But are any of those guys worth of being named the Blackhawks first-half MVP?

When you think of the phrase “most valuable player” you often think of the “best” player on a team and the guy that helps win games and comes through in the clutch. 

You also think of the player that is the most consistent on the team and who rarely makes mistakes.

Another thing to consider is just how consistent the player is.  Has he been hurt?  Has he been out of the lineup for an extended period of time or even a short period of time?  Is he reliable?

When you filter through the all of the players on the roster, take out those who have been injured or haven’t played up to their ability, there is one guy who really stands out—forward Patrick Sharp. 

Sharp has been the Blackhawks' most consistent player and is thought of by many to be the team’s MVP through the first half of the season.

Couple that with the fact that he won the MVP award at the All-Star game, Sharp is becoming recognized as one of the better players in the NHL right now. 

Sharp leads the Blackhawks in scoring, games played and game winners.  He’s clearly the best player on the Hawks at this time.

If the Blackhawks are going make the playoffs, they need all of their stars to step up and start playing well.

Guys like Toews and Kane have missed some time (Toews hasn’t missed a lot), and their absence has hurt this team at times, but players have stepped up and helped them win.  In order to make the playoffs, they have to contribute more and play harder.

You can bet Sharp will be ready and willing to step up and help try to lead the Hawks into the postseason. 

He’s been a very valuable part of the team and has really stepped up for the Blackhawks since coming to the team from Philadelphia in 2005.

After several seasons with the Hawks, Sharp has stepped up, and his timing couldn’t be better.

Let’s just hope the rest of the team is ready to step it up and turn it on so that they can make the playoffs and defend their Stanley Cup title.