from Jonathan Willis of Sportsnet,

On one level, the idea of expanded playoffs cheapens the whole exercise of the regular season. Already more than half of the teams in the league participate in the postseason; adding a qualification round would increase the number to two-thirds. What’s the point of an 82-game regular season when two out of three teams are going to make the playoffs anyway?

That line of reasoning misses the point, however, because a playoff qualification round actually increases the importance of the regular season in at least two ways.

First, it increases the rewards for finishing at the top of the league. This year, a team that finishes first in its division in the West can look forward to a first-round matchup with Minnesota or possibly Los Angeles. The situation isn’t much better out East; Boston currently holds one spot and the other could go to any of the Capitals, Islanders or Penguins (teams currently in a three-way race which is too close to call). Parity means that the gap between the first and fourth place teams in the division is narrower than ever.

With a qualification round, a first-place finisher would have some reward for its fine regular season.

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