The NHL could use some new contenders, and not just because the Stanley Cup Final had the same participants for two straight seasons.

Fresh faces and burgeoning stars are intriguing. Teams on the rise bring renewed enthusiasm to the playoff races . Seeing teams that haven't been postseason participants crashing the playoff party is a blast.

This season has a handful of teams seeking to break through into the playoffs. Two of them are in the Western Conference: the Utah Mammoth , in their second season in Salt Lake City; and the Anaheim Ducks , who've missed the playoffs for seven straight seasons. As of Tuesday, both of them were in playoff spots, with the Mammoth as a wild card and the Ducks leading the Pacific.

They're new. They're compelling. And above all, they're fun to watch

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