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This is an exciting time of year to be a sports fan with March Madness beginning this week and the NHL playoff races hitting a crescendo. With that in mind, I decided to add a little NCAA Tournament flair to the new NHL Power Rankings.

In addition to a little shameless cross-promotion (be sure to make those Bracket Games selections), I thought this would be a fun exercise because March Madness and the Stanley Cup Playoffs have a number of similarities. They're both unforgiving and unpredictable tournaments with neither leaving any doubt that the winner is a worthy champion.

That being said, I tried to describe each of the 32 NHL teams in NCAA Tournament terms. For instance, the Dallas Stars are making a late push for the No. 1 overall seed, and they can add to their resume with a conference tournament win. That said, can the Stars keep up the torrid pace that has gotten them to this point?

Just like in college basketball, there is a very clear bubble when it comes to the NHL playoff picture. In the West, the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings are working to make sure they're on the right side of it. In the East, the Detroit Red Wings are just hanging onto a bid for dear life.

Here are your updated NHL Power Rankings with a little March Madness spin.

Biggest Movers
5 Rangers
4 Mammoth
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1 Stars No. 1 overall seed | The Stars are the team that puts it all together at the right time and rolls to a conference tournament win to swipe the No. 1 overall seed. Dallas has gone on a 13-2-1 tear over the last two months, and it's just three points behind the Avalanche in the Presidents' Trophy race. -- 42-15-10
2 Sabres Trendy No. 2 seed | Who likes picking four No. 1 seeds to reach the Final Four? You've at least got to work a No. 2 seed in there somewhere, and that's where the Sabres enter the conversation. Buffalo is a notch or two below the true contenders, but they're still very good. It helps that they're also fun to watch and one of the league's best stories. -- 42-20-6
3 Avalanche Championship favorite | The Avs may be losing their grip on that No. 1 seed, but they're still the favorites for a reason. Colorado is absolutely loaded, and there is no doubt it's the team to beat when firing on all cylinders. Of course, the role of favorite comes with a lot of pressure, and the playoffs are full of land mines. -- 44-13-9
4 Hurricanes Perennial tourney underachiever | Rod Brind'Amour is the Mark Few or Rick Barnes of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He's coached some great teams -- and his impact on players is evident. However, Brind'Amour hasn't been able to break through in the postseason, at least not as a coach. Still, there's always the possibility that the Canes figure it out this year. -- 42-19-6
5 Wild Top-heavy contender | If the Wild are going to win a championship, they won't be rolling with a deep rotation. Any team that faces Minnesota in the postseason can expect a heavy dose of Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy and Quinn Hughes. I don't love the Wild's depth, but that is a superstar trio capable of taking over a series. -- 39-18-12
6 Ducks 3-point specialists | When the Ducks' offense is rolling, they can light up the scoreboard in a hurry, and they are a thrill to watch. No deficit is too big to overcome. Of course, when the offense goes cold, Anaheim risks getting run out of the building because its defense is something to behold (derogatory). 1 37-27-3
7 Lightning Slumping juggernaut | This is always a tough team to evaluate when filling out our bracket. You know they're a legit championship contender at their best, but that team hasn't shown up in weeks. The Bolts are 3-7-0 since the Olympic break, and they've fallen out of first place in the division. This skid could carry over to the postseason, but this could also be a sleeping giant. 1 41-21-4
8 Canadiens Volatile young guns | There is a lot of talent in Montreal, and much of that talent is relatively young. That gives the Canadiens a high ceiling and a very low floor. It wouldn't shock me to see the Habs go on a magical run to the conference finals (or beyond), and I wouldn't be stunned to see them bounced in the first round. 2 37-20-10
9 Blue Jackets Cinderella | This team's success is tough to explain. The Blue Jackets don't look like a real Cup threat on paper, but this squad is more than the sum of its parts. It's probably best to stop finding reasons to doubt this team and simply lean into the magic. 2 35-21-11
10 Islanders Freshman All-American carrying the team | A five-star "diaper dandy" is leading the Isles as 18-year-old Matthew Schaefer has exploded onto the NHL scene. Granted, he is getting help from rim protector Ilya Sorokin between the pipes. As fun as Schaefer is, he probably can't power New York to a long playoff run. 2 39-24-5
11 Penguins Experienced fifth-year seniors | Every March, there are a few players you watch and say, "They're still playing?" All of those players are on the Penguins, and they're driving the team's success. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust, Erik Karlsson, Rickard Rakell and Kris Letang are all above the age of 32. Still, it works. 3 34-18-15
12 Senators Dangerous No. 8 seed | The Senators are the highest-ranked No. 8 seed. They were certainly not a tournament lock all season, but the makings of a special team were always there. Ottawa has started to hit its stride in March, and the No. 1 seed unlucky enough to draw the Sens in its region will not be pleased. 2 34-23-9
13 Mammoth Impressive No. 10 seed | Every No. 10 seed has its inherent flaws -- otherwise it couldn't be a double-digit seed. Still, there is serious upset potential if the matchup is right. Think No. 10 Santa Clara vs. No. 7 Kentucky. There's a lot to like about the Mammoth. Don't be surprised to see them still standing on the dance floor after a couple rounds. 4 35-27-6
14 Oilers Naismith Player of the Year ... and not much else | Now that Leon Draisaitl is out for the rest of the regular season, it will be the Connor McDavid show in Edmonton. He's fully capable of going thermonuclear and dragging the Oilers through a couple rounds, but that's a lot to ask, even if McDavid is the best player in the world. 2 34-26-9
15 Bruins Play-in winners | No one expected a whole lot from this team, and simply getting to the dance is quite the accomplishment. Will the Bruins make any noise once they punch their ticket? Probably not, but this was a fun season with some memorable moments. -- 37-23-8
16 Red Wings Tumbling bubble team | The Red Wings were looking like a No. 4 or No. 5 seed just a couple months ago. Now we're all wondering whether they'll get into the tournament at all. Detroit has saved its worst hockey for the worst time, and its grip on a postseason bid looks awfully tenuous. 3 37-23-8
17 Golden Knights Contender with a fatal flaw | Vegas was expected to compete for a Stanley Cup when the season began. They still might, but the Golden Knights look much less formidable due to unreliable goaltending. Maybe that flaw bites them in the first- or second-round. Maybe it never gets exposed, and they go all the way. -- 31-23-14
18 Flyers Harmless No. 15 seed | If the Flyers get into the postseason, they'll steal a bid in the conference tournament. It's a narrow path for Philadelphia -- and even if it does reach the playoffs -- it will be a very brief appearance. 1 31-23-12
19 Kraken First-round cannon fodder | Similar to the Flyers, the Kraken look like a relatively toothless No. 16 seed. They would most likely be a warmup series for the best team in the West. Then again, Seattle has already pulled off one stunning first-round upset over the Avalanche in 2023. Maybe they have another one in them. 1 31-27-9
20 Capitals First four out all-stars | There are worse things than being the best team in the "first four out" category. You can look down upon the other bubble teams that lose in the opening round and say, "Can you believe they got in over us?" That's where the Caps find themselves right now. 1 33-27-8
21 Sharks One-trick pony | Like Ja Morant at Murray State, Macklin Celebrini can single-handedly change the tone of an entire game. Still, he doesn't have nearly enough help around him to make the Sharks a realistic Stanley Cup contender. 1 32-28-6
22 Kings Defensive mastermind | This team isn't all that fun to watch, and frankly, it isn't that good. However, the Kings are fully capable of mucking things up. If they can drag an opponent into the mud with them, it becomes anybody's game. 3 28-24-15
23 Devils Preseason top 25 flameout | The Creighton of the NHL, the Devils came into the season with high expectations. Now they won't even make a postseason appearance. Next year will bring another opportunity to disappoint. -- 34-31-2
24 Panthers Juggernaut in transition | Victory has defeated the Panthers. Going on three consecutive Stanley Cup Final runs -- including two straight championships -- takes its toll. There's a reason there hasn't been a Stanley Cup three-peat in more than four decades. Roster turnover and injuries have battered Florida, but next year looks like a prime rebound opportunity. 2 33-31-3
25 Rangers NIT champion | Hang the banner! But seriously, the Rangers have done some good things after they looked dead in the water. Maybe they can take some of that positive momentum into next season (probably not). 5 28-31-8
26 Blues NIT runner-up | Hey, that was a nice little run you had! It was far too little, too late. Still, the season wasn't completely miserable, even if it ended in defeat in a meaningless competition. -- 27-30-10
27 Predators Next four out hopefuls | Fans of the Predators are crunching the numbers, coming up with any combination of improbable scenarios that get their team into the playoffs. Just give it up already. It's over. 3 30-28-9
28 Jets Late bubble arrival | The Jets have come out of nowhere to play their way onto the bubble. Other bubble teams are watching nervously as Winnipeg keeps advancing in the conference tournament. 1 28-28-11
29 Maple Leafs Blue blood flop | Casual fans will pick up their bracket and look for this perennial tournament team, only to find that the bottom fell out sometime in January. 1 29-28-12
30 Blackhawks NIT invitation rejector | Chicago hasn't tasted the dance in a long time now, and the NIT just isn't cutting it anymore. Fans are hungry for the real thing. 1 25-30-12
31 Flames NIT bubble team | If the Blackhawks turn down their NIT bid, maybe the Flames will get a call! 2 26-34-7
32 Canucks CBI reject | The CBI got canceled because this was the caliber of team getting bids. -- 21-38-8