After a season in which it seemed likely the Blackhawks would miss the playoffs for a third straight year, all of a sudden under the NHL's 24-team playoff format to resume play, that have a legitimate chance to be in.
Under the format that the NHL is hoping to see put into action by late July, the Hawks, who were 12th in the Western Conference at the time of the NHL pause on March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic, will take on the Edmonton Oilers, who were 5th in the West, in a best-of-5 play-in series with the winner advancing to the first round of the playoffs.