The Chicago Blackhawks might get to participate in a 24 team playoff but teams are going to be scare of Patrick Kane in a short series.
The Chicago Blackhawks might get a chance to play some playoff games after all. If the NHL and NHLPA announce (which is expected, at this point) that the Return to Play committee will bring them a 24 team playoff with 12 from each conference, the Hawks would be the bottom seed in the Western Conference. They, according to the way the bracket is presented, would be matched up against the Edmonton Oilers who would line up as the five seed.
It is clear that teams are scared of Patrick Kane. There are multiple reports out there that the discussions before they came to the 24 team agreement had teams scared to do a best of three play-in series. It was voted against because people were scared of Patrick Kane according to the same reports. In a three-game series, Patrick Kane might be able to do just enough to lift the Blackhawks up and rise to the occasion.