As we head into the All-Star break, one of the closest and most interesting races in hockey is the battle for the Central Division crown between the Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars. The Blackhawks sputtered out of the gate, but have caught fire as of late, while the Stars have gone on a slide by winning just three of their past 10 games. The gap is razor thin, with only one goal separating them in goal differential and three points in the standings.
The team that lands the top seed will likely be the one that receives the most out of their superstar pair of forwards. The Blackhawks and Stars boast the top two pairs of forwards in the NHL, in Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane for Chicago and Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn for Dallas. The combos are a little different because Toews and Kane play on different lines while Seguin and Benn play together, but both have been good enough to lead their respective clubs to being legitimate Stanley Cup contenders.
Which pair will emerge as the dominant duo down the stretch? Let's take a look at the numbers: