Gary Bettman re-evaluating 2026 NHL All-Star Game format after 4 Nations “raised the bar” for marquee event

The 2026 NHL All-Star Game could be very different from previous iterations. In 2025, the game was replaced by the 4 Nations Face-Off, a highly successful event that got the attention of the sports world and was hailed by many players.

Now, league commissioner Gary Bettman is admitting the same. He said, via Frank Seravalli, that the tournament "raised the bar" for midseason events, and he added that future All-Star weekends are being reconsidered in the wake of the success.

Other leagues have struggled with their All-Star Games, so much so that some NBA analysts began pointing to the 4 Nations Face-Off as something their sport should adopt to revive the All-Star weekend.

Seravalli reported that Bettman is leaving everything on the table. That means doing something entirely different, too. They could continue experimenting as they did with the 4 Nations even if they have seemingly found a working formula.

That's what the NBA has done in recent years to no avail. They tried all sorts of formats, including having player-picked teams, and multi-game tournaments, and are reportedly looking into doing a one-on-one tournament to spark interest again.

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Is the NHL All-Star Game going away?

The success of the 4 Nations Face-Off, the final of which drew over 16 million viewers, has begged the question: What's the fate of the regular NHL All-Star Game?

The 4 Nations Face-Off won't replace the NHL All-Star Game (Imagn)

Winning coach Jon Cooper, who coaches the Tampa Bay Lightning, said via ESPN:

"Nothing's done more for hockey in a decade than what this tournament's done."

But does that mean it's replacing the All-Star Game? Probably not, according to sources. ESPN's report said that the game's tentpole status and longevity mean it won't ever be fully removed.

However, it probably won't be an annual event anymore. The 4 Nations Face-Off was in 2025, and in 2026, the All-Star Game will be back. Then, the Olympics will take place, and the league is hopeful that they'll have a "regular cadence" of international events from then on.

The World Cup of Hockey is on the schedule for 2028, so the league is carefully planning to have some international best-on-best events in the future. Just don't expect that to take full precedence every year over the standard All-Star game.