The NHL has a little dilemma on its hands. With the announcement already made, the NHL and NHLPA are looking to make the 2026 version of the All-Star Game more compelling than it has been in years past. The reason for that is the success of the Four Nations Faceoff.
We know the game will be held at UBS Arena, home of the New York Islanders, next year before the NHLers return to the Olympics for the first time since 2014. While NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman did not say he would cancel the event outright, but the league is looking at all options as they want to give the venue an event. They don’t want to have the same old event. So what can they do?
Players have to be there because they will travel to Olympics from NYC right after.
So the thinking is: how can we turn that presence into a good showcase?
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 19, 2025
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For starters, the NHL will never be able to replicate what they had at the Four Nations. The political climate is not the same. And take that out of the equation. The players went all out from the drop of the puck. They were excited to have best-on-best International Hockey back. It had been 10 years for some players. Some players had yet to experience it.
Look the 4 Nations was awesome but have to agree with @expomick and @PBerce you will never be able to generate that type of atmosphere again. It can’t happen every year. Takes a toll. Maybe North America vs The World again with those going to Olympics. https://t.co/IKhCtyx4rh
— Jim Biringer (@JimBiringer) March 19, 2025
Four Nations Face-off Has Grown Hockey in America
Not to mention, the Four Nations Faceoff was not a replacement for the NHL All-Star Game. We all see the NHL raised the bar that weekend, considering how bad the NBA All-Star Game was. But we all knew it was a reintroduction to International best-on-best Hockey.
There are a lot of suggestions being thrown out there, including some from ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski.
Here, let me help:
2026 NHL All-Star Weekend
Day 1: U-23 “Future Stars” 3-on-3 All-Star Game
Day 2: Nation-based NHL skills competition where all the players wear their national team jerseys and it’s a bon voyage to the Olympics.— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) March 19, 2025
These aren’t bad ideas, especially the Future Stars Game. The NHL hasn’t had a Young Stars Game at the event in a long time, and that was always fun. But since this is a sendoff for the players going to the Olympics, why not bring back North America vs. the World?
Raise the bar. Easily. Suggested it and I know @GershOnline be in favor of it. North America vs the World with the NHL going back to the Olympics and bring the best players and the players going to Olympics. @FullPressNHL @NHLrumorsX https://t.co/nvHeepOGV9
— Jim Biringer (@JimBiringer) March 19, 2025
Again, all options are on the table. With the 2026 NHL All-Star Game seen as a farewell to the NHLers as they head to the Olympics, the question then becomes what happens after next year. Does the NHL just abandon it? They really can’t since it is for sponsors, but you know the players would like to have some time away.
World Cup of Hockey Needs To Be Best-on-Best
However, with the World Cup of Hockey coming back and Best on Best Hockey every two years, the NHL All-Star Game could be a thing of the past.
This is a great point but with the World Cup of Hockey coming in 2028 we have to wonder if 2027 will be the last year of the All Star Game with the international calendar going every 2 years. World Cup & Olympics. There will be one next year but in 2028 it is unknown https://t.co/uG6wrexJjW
— Jim Biringer (@JimBiringer) February 14, 2025
They can’t go back to the way it was. That was boring and uninteresting hockey, but the NHL can’t recreate the magic they had from Four Nations, either. It is a difficult decision. However, North America vs The World for the 2026 NHL All-Star Game is a good idea, along with the others proposed.
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