Report: NHL set to cancel the All-Star Game?

According to a report from senior Sportsnet writer Chris Johnston, the NHL and NHLPA may be considering cancelling the annual NHL All-Star festivities beyond this year’s game in Tampa Bay.

Johnston reports that the NHL is considering scrapping the All-Star weekend all together in favor of international growth opportunities in Europe and Asia. This preseason the Vancouver Canucks and and Los Angeles Kings faced off in Beijing and Shanghai for the NHL’s inaugural China Games, could this be a precursor to more international events?

The NHL and NHLPA haven’t made any further announcements on where and when they’ll be playing internationally, but more games in China is definitely on the agenda. It’s speculated that the team would like to also push into more European markets .

More meetings between the NHL and NHLPA are expected to take place before an official announcement is made on the fate of the NHL All-Star Game moving forward.