NHL Cancels Olympic Event and Bets on the All-Star Weekend in 2027
The NHL has decided to cancel the Olympic farewell event scheduled for February at UBS Arena, home of the New York Islanders. Instead, the league plans to hold the All-Star Weekend festivities at the same arena in 2027.
The news was reported on Tuesday night. The decision comes after it was announced that UBS Arena would host the 2026 All-Star Weekend. The league initially considered this event as a starting point for players, coaches, and staff to gather before traveling to Milan from John F. Kennedy International Airport.
The resounding success of the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament earlier this year led the executives to rethink the structure of the traditional All-Star Weekend. The league has been evaluating how to innovate with the skills competition and the game, or the 3-on-3 tournament that has become a fixture at the mid-season hockey event for almost a decade.
NHL officials had indicated that the Islanders would likely host the All-Star Game in the odd-numbered year between the return to the Olympics and the 2028 World Cup of Hockey. The league expects to use the weekend of February 5-7, 2027 for this event.
