As first reported by Elliotte Friedman, rumors inside of league offices are that the NHL favors returning to play with a new 24-team playoff format in response to the COVID-19 crisis.
The plan is not yet final, but the consensus seems to be building for the format which would provide the top four teams in each conference with a bye, and allow the 5th-12th seeds to compete in a Best-of-Five play-in round.
There are still plenty of logistics to work out before a return is possible, including the COVID testing parameters, selection of potential hub cities to host the matchups, and how to handle VISA and immigration issues for travel between the US and Canada, but at least for now there are some signs of optimism that the playoffs will return this summer.