NHL All-Star Weekend to feature international teams in 2027

The NHL will replace its traditional All-Star Game with a five-team international tournament in 2027. The event is scheduled for Feb. 5-6 at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, and will include teams representing Canada, Finland, Sweden, the United States and a World team.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced the format during his state of the league address on Tuesday before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. Deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed that Russian players will be eligible for the World team.

Format and roster details Each team will consist of nine skaters and two goalies.

The teams will play a 3-on-3 round-robin tournament in which each squad plays four five-minute games. A win earns two points, a tie earns one point, and a loss earns zero points. The winning team will receive a $2 million prize. The NHL and NHLPA will select 30 players from each participating team for a fan vote that opens in December.

Fans will choose eight players per team, while the NHL and NHLPA will jointly select the remaining three roster spots.

Skills competition changes The All-Star Skills Competition will also change.

Ten players age 25 or younger will compete in eight events, four of which are mandatory. The top four players advance to a shootout, and the top two then compete in an obstacle course finale for a $1 million prize. NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh said the event could serve as preparation for a future World Cup of Hockey. Russian players' participation in that tournament remains uncertain.