The New York Islanders won't be hosting the All-Star Game in 2026, per Gary Bettman's interview with Newsday. 

"We’ll have an event at UBS before we go to the Olympics, but then we’ll do something that’s more focused on a major hockey event for the following year,” Bettman said. “We have a little bit of time to finalize what we’re doing.” (H/t Newsday)

This does not mean that whatever occurs in 2027 will be in Elmont -- just that there will be a hockey event in between the Olympics and the 2028 World Cup of Hockey.

Here is the full story, for Newsday subscribers: 

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says UBS Arena will host a 'kickoff' event for the Olympics rather than 2026 All-Star Weekend NHL players will return to Olympic competition in 2026 as commissioner praises development around UBS Arena

The NHL just had the 4 Nations Face-Off, which they knocked out of the park, leading to the whole "cancel All-Star" conversation. 

Bettman said in the interview that it would not be a hockey competition. 

Could it be open Olympic team practices or meet-and-greets with the NHL stars?

Or could it be like the NFL All-Star dodgeball game, where these hockey players go head-to-head in a different sport? That's highly unlikely, considering that no athlete wants to get injured before heading to Italy. 

Listen, we're trying to think creatively here. 

UBS Arena is undoubtedly up to the task of hosting anything, being that it is a first-class facility. 

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