“Give us 4 Nations again” “We have Olympics next year”: Hockey fans react as Gary Bettman re-considers All-Stars plans

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is rethinking the 2026 All-Star Game after the success of the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. The 2026 All-Star Game is scheduled for UBS Arena, home of the New York Islanders.

The 4 Nations was meant to be a sendoff for NHL players heading to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. This will be the first time that NHL players will compete in the Olympics since 2014. However, the league is now considering changes to the All-Star games.

Speaking during the NHL GM meetings in Florida, Commissioner Gary Bettman said that the 4 Nations event set a new standard for All-Star games. The league wants to make sure the next one meets those expectations.

"We’re re-evaluating how we want to do things, because I think we’ve raised the bar about as high as you can for an all-star game in any sport," Gary Bettman said about the 2026 NHL all star games "We want to make sure whatever we do is up to the standards that we’ve created."

Soon Gary Bettman's comments drew NHL fans' attention.

"Bro just give us the four nations thing again that was best hockey I’ve watched in a long time" a fan wrote.

"We have the Olympics next year, no one cares about the All-Star game lmao," another fan wrote.

"The NHL should do a 32-team single elimination tournament. Winner gets 20 points or something." a fan shared his suggestion.

Here are some more reactions from fans on X:

"Raised the bar = found a better way to increase revenue." a fan mentioned.

"I'm a huge hockey fan. Rarely watch All-Star week as it has been pre-2025. Add a few nations to the 4-Nation format and I'll watch - as I did this year - every minute all week!" a fan tweeted.

"I don’t think I could ever get as excited for an All Star game after the 4 Nations. The 4 Nations was so much better. It was competitive and taken seriously by the players." one fan wrote.

NHL and Gary Bettman are keeping everything on the table

The 4 Nations Face-Off featured teams from Canada, United States, Sweden and Finland. The tournament was competitive,and drew strong TV ratings and viewership, impressing fans.

Considering the success of the 4 Nations, returning to the old All-Star format might not work. In past years, the event included a skills competition and a three-on-three tournament. While fun, it lacked real competition as pointed out by Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk on Jimmy Fallon's show.

Even though the All-Star format is uncertain, the NY Islanders will still host a major NHL event at UBS Arena. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said that all options are being discussed, including moving the event to 2027. Commissioner Gary Bettman said, via NY Post:

"I don’t want to start speculation. We’ve promised the Islanders an event, and Islander fans deserve events that we’ve promised, so we’re focused on what we need to do."

The 4 Nations Face-Off has influenced how the NHL thinks about future events. The 2026 All-Star Game may look different from past years.