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There will be no NHL All-Star Game this year. Instead, the league is giving players a chance to represent their countries in the Four Nations Face-Off. Sweden, Finland, Canada and the United States all have stacked teams full of all-stars ready to compete in a tournament over the break.
This is not a common occurrence as most major sports leagues have all-star breaks or all-star games and they're usually not replaced with an international event. However, the NHL wanted the chance to host an international tournament.
It serves as a preview for the Winter Olympics in Milan next year. In 2026, countries around the world, except for Russia and Belarus, will form teams. Finland, Sweden, Canada and the United States teams will probably closely resemble what their Four Nations Face-Off squads look like.
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This is the first time the Olympics will have an ice hockey competition with NHL players since 2018. Players were originally set to compete in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics but the league and the players' association decided in December 2021 to pull out of the competition because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Olympics still held ice hockey competitions but it was missing most of the notable global stars. However, that won't be the case in 2026 as the Four Nations Face-Off will be a preview. It just has to replace the all-star game to do so.
Will there be an NHL All-Star Game in 2026?
For the first time in several years, there will be no NHL All-Star Game in 2025. There wasn't one in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but besides that year, the event has hardly missed a beat in its entire existence.
Due to the Four Nations Face-Off, 2025 will not have an ASG, but it will return in 2026. This is a special occasion for the league and it won't apply next year as the NHL has already determined the location.
The 2024 all-star game was held at the home of the Toronto Maple Leafs. In 2026, it will be hosted by the New York Islanders.
