from Michael Traikos of the National Post,

The reason for adding another eight teams into the playoff mix this year is mostly out of necessity. When the season was paused on March 12, there were a handful of teams on the bubble with a dozen or so games remaining on the schedule. It’s not fair to take the standings as they are today. Nor does it make sense for a team such as Detroit, which is already mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, to come back and play for nothing.

Of course, the real reason for expanding the playoffs is that it puts more cash in the owners’ pockets....

The logistics are still being worked out. But the NHL, which would require a three-week training camp, is considering all of its options in how to make the biggest impact in its return to play.

Whatever it decides, you can bet more playoff games will be part of the equation. After all, more playoff games equal more TV revenue. And for a league that has lost so much money due to cancelling the final weeks of the regular season, this is its chance to recoup some lost dollars and keep as many fans as possible interested.

Do you honestly think the owners, who could potentially lose more money next year if fans are still not allowed back in the buildings, will want to go back to 16 teams? No chance.

The NHL will not be able to put this toothpaste back in the tube. And why would it? The playoffs are when teams make back their money. It’s when the players are playing for free and when the game tickets — when fans are in the building — cost more money. The need to be in the playoffs has now never been stronger. And it’s also never been as difficult as it is today.

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