NHL Unveils New All-Star Format for 2026-27 Season | BLOG

A massive overhaul is coming to the NHL All-Star Weekend, and it feels custom-built for a dynamic, globally diverse roster like the one we have right here in New Jersey.

The NHL and NHLPA just officially announced a totally revamped format for the 2027 Honda NHL All-Star Game and All-Star Skills competition. The festivities are heading to UBS Arena on Long Island on February 5th and 6th.

If you love international rivalries, high-stakes hockey, and watching the league’s elite young talent go head-to-head, this is going to be a weekend to remember. Here is a look at exactly how the new format shakes out.

Saturday: The International 3-on-3 Tournament

Forget the old divisional games or fantasy drafts. The All-Star Game on Saturday, February 6th, is going global. The league is replacing the traditional setup with a five-team international round-robin tournament, pitting national squads against each other in a fast-paced 3-on-3 format.

• The Teams: USA, Canada, Sweden, Finland, and a "Rest of World" team comprised of international players outside those four nations (including Russia).

• Roster Sizes: Each squad will carry exactly 11 players: nine skaters and two goaltenders.

• The Format: A 10-game round-robin tournament consisting of rapid-fire, five-minute games with no overtimes or shootouts. A strict points system (2 for a win, 1 for a tie, 0 for a loss) determines the standings.

• The Finals: The top two teams from the round-robin advance to a 10-minute championship final.

• The Stakes: The winning team will claim a $2 million prize to split.

• Broadcast: The entire tournament will air live on ABC in the U.S. and Sportsnet in Canada.

This setup is a dream scenario for Devils fans. We could easily see Jack Hughes headlining Team USA, Jesper Bratt weaving through traffic for Team Sweden, and perhaps Nico Hischier and Timo Meier helping lead a potent Rest-of-World attack. The chance to see teammates square off for national bragging rights—and a share of $2 million—is going to be incredible.

The schedule guarantees non-stop action. Game 1 kicks off with a massive rivalry clash between the USA and Canada. By Game 6, we could be watching Jack Hughes go head-to-head against Bratt when the USA takes on Sweden. Games 8 and 9 could be a brutal gauntlet for the Rest of World squad as they face Sweden and the USA back-to-back.

Friday: A Premier 25-and-Under Skills Showcase

Airing on ESPN and Sportsnet, the event is shifting its focus entirely to the league's brightest young stars which could feature the Devils' Jack Hughes and, depending how your fan votes shake down, maybe his brother Luke?

• The Field: A select group of only 10 young stars from across the league.

• The Age Cutoff: All participants must be 25 years old and under.

• Preliminary Round: Each player chooses four of the first six events to compete in: Fastest Skater, Hardest Shot, Passing Challenge, One Timers, Stick Handling, and Accuracy Shooting.

• The Shootout: The top four point-getters advance to a dynamic shootout, where they get to uniquely choose which of the four All-Star goalies they want to face.

• The Finale: The top two performers from the shootout face off in an Obstacle Course Finale.

• The Prize: The player with the highest cumulative score is crowned champion and walks away with a standalone $1 million payday.

How to Send Them to Long Island

The best part of this entire overhaul is that we get to help build the rosters. The NHL and NHLPA will select a pool of 30 players for each of the five international teams. From there, the fans take over.

• The Fan Vote: Opening in December, fans will vote for 8 players to make each squad.

• The Final Selections: The league and players' association will jointly select the final three spots (one forward, one defenseman, and one goalie) for each team after the fan vote concludes.

When the time comes, Devils fans need to be ready to stuff the ballot box and ensure Jersey’s finest take over Long Island!