NHL unveils new international format for 2027 All-Star Weekend

The NHL and NHLPA have officially pulled the curtain back on a dramatically revamped All-Star Weekend, and it looks like nothing the league has done before. Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA Executive Director Marty Walsh jointly revealed the new format for the 2027 Honda NHL All-Star Game and Skills Competition, set to take place February 5 and 6 at UBS Arena on Long Island, home of the New York Islanders. The headline change? The traditional divisional or draft-style format is out, and an international round-robin tournament is in.

Country vs. Country on the All-Star Stage

The 2027 All-Star Game will pit five teams against each other in a three-on-three exhibition tournament organized by nationality. Team Canada, Team USA, Team Finland, Team Sweden, and a "World" squad made up of international players from all other countries will each ice a roster of 11 players, consisting of nine skaters and two goaltenders. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly confirmed that Russian players will be eligible to compete as part of the World team.

Fan involvement will be a major part of the roster-building process. The NHL and NHLPA plan to put forward 30 players from each of the five teams for a fan vote launching in December. Fans will get to choose eight players per team, while the league and the players' association will jointly fill the remaining three spots on each roster, selecting one forward, one defenseman, and one goaltender.

The tournament structure itself is straightforward but designed to keep things competitive. Each team will play four five-minute games during the round-robin phase. Ties at the end of regulation will stand, with no overtime or shootout to break deadlocks. Teams will accumulate points using a simple system: two points for a win, one for a tie, and zero for a loss. The two highest-ranked teams after the round robin will then face off in a 10-minute championship final. The stakes are real, too, as the winning team will split a $2 million prize.

This marks a significant departure from recent All-Star formats, which have largely relied on divisional rosters or captain-picked teams. The international twist brings a flavor reminiscent of tournaments like the World Cup of Hockey, albeit in a much lighter, exhibition-style setting. It also reflects the increasingly global makeup of NHL rosters, where players from Scandinavia, Europe, and beyond have become central figures on virtually every team in the league.

A Skills Competition Built for the Next Generation

The night before the main event, the 2027 NHL All-Star Skills Competition will take on a fresh identity of its own. Rather than featuring established veterans alongside younger talent, the revamped skills showcase will exclusively spotlight 10 players aged 25 or younger. The participants will be jointly selected by the NHL and NHLPA.

The format is designed as a multi-event tournament. Each of the 10 young stars will compete in four of six possible events: Fastest Skater, Hardest Shot, Passing Challenge, One Timers, Stick Handling, and Accuracy Shooting. Players will earn points based on their placement in each event, and the top four scorers will advance to a shootout round against one of four All-Star goaltenders.

From there, the two best performers in the shootout will go head to head in an Obstacle Course Finale. The player who finishes with the highest cumulative score across all rounds will be crowned the All-Star Skills Champion and take home a cool $1 million.

By limiting the field to players 25 and under, the league is clearly making a play to put its rising stars front and center. It is a smart move that gives younger fans a chance to connect with the next wave of NHL talent while also generating buzz around players who may not yet have the name recognition of the league's biggest superstars.

ESPN will carry the Skills Competition on Friday, February 5, in the United States, while Sportsnet will handle the Canadian broadcast. The All-Star Game itself will air on ABC and Sportsnet on Saturday, February 6. Specific event times have yet to be announced.

The 2027 edition will mark just the second time the Islanders have hosted NHL All-Star festivities, with the first coming all the way back in 1983. With a brand-new format, massive prize money, and a youth-driven skills event, the league is clearly betting that this reimagined weekend will bring renewed energy to one of its signature midseason events.