Jamie Nye: Pros and cons of NHL expanding playoffs

Some in the NHL want to see more teams make the playoffs.

When Seattle joins the league, it’ll mean 16 of the 32 teams make a playoff. That should make sense with half the teams making the post-season.

In the NFL, 12 of 32 make. The NBA has 16 of 30. Major League Baseball sees 10 of 30.

So the NHL has the second highest percentage of teams making the post-season with 50 per cent.

But when the NHL moved to 16 teams in the playoffs in 1979-80, there were just 21 teams in the league.

They’re about to add another team to the fold with no change in how many teams make the playoffs.

Some owners would like to see the NHL adopt the MLB’s play in game that would add four more teams to the playoffs and have the two wild card spots in each division determined by a play in game or maybe a mini three-game series.

The pro, though I like the 16 team format, the league could add a little more intrigue to the final few weeks of the season and keep more fan bases engaged later in the season.

The con, do we really want to make the NHL season that goes for nearly nine months any longer?