Islanders Could Lose Out On Hosting 2026 All-Star Game With Cancellation Being Discussed

The New York Islanders will be hosting the 2026 NHL All-Star Game, if it happens. 

During TSN's Thursday Insider Trading episode, The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun was asked, with the Olympics and the success of the NHL 4 Nations tournament, if the NHL was thinking of cancelling the All-Star Game.

"The short answer is probably not, if for no other reason than they've already announced it," LeBrun said. "So, last year, the All-Star Game in Toronto, the league announced that an All-Star game would be held ahead of the Winter Olympics in Italy. Don't ask me why, but they saw it as an opportunity to have, like a send-off with all those players headed to the Olympics. But, after the amazing success of 4 Nations, there have been talks behind the scenes of people saying, 'Are we really going to have an All-Star Game next year, which is basically a dog's breakfast after we just had this best-on-best event last year?' And, there are people asking the question like, 'How smart is it to have this All-Star Game, which we know we can't save in terms of the entertainment value?'

"Again, I think the New York Islanders, who are hosting that All-Star Game - they've already started talking to their season ticket holders about it. It's probably too late to put the toothpaste back in the tube, but it is a question being asked behind the scenes."

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