New York Islanders
NY Governor Drops Gloves, Picks Fight with Gary Bettman
We’ve got a fight now. Last week, Gary Bettman officially announced the NHL had cancelled the 2026 NHL All-Star Game, set to be hosted by the New York Islanders in UBS Arena.
Before the announcement, the Islanders and New York itself were preparing to host the major event. Instead, Bettman cancelled the event for an undescribed and mysterious 2026 Winter Olympics Send-Off, which would also not be a hockey event.
Kathy Hochul, the Governor of New York, dropped a statement on the matter:
Here’s Hochul’s entire open letter to Bettman and the NHL (governor.newyork.gov):
Dear Commissioner Bettman:
I am writing to express my disappointment regarding the NHL’s decision to cancel the 2026 All-Star Weekend at UBS Arena and replace it with a Winter Olympics kick-off event. This decision was made without consultation with the State of New York, which has been a critical partner in supporting this facility and the NHL’s presence on Long Island as well as the entire State.
Through a public-private partnership with New York Arena Partners, New York State invested more than $100 million to build the first new LIRR station in nearly 50 years, supporting UBS Arena as a world-class venue. We made this investment not only for the local community and the New York Islanders but also in support of the league itself. We acted in good faith based on commitments that were publicly celebrated and on the belief that this was a true public-private partnership.
The cancellation of the 2026 All-Star Weekend, an event expected to bring millions in economic activity to the region, is deeply disappointing. While we understand the significance of the Winter Olympics, the conflict was foreseeable and could have been addressed through early coordination. This decision overlooks the efforts by New York State and sends the wrong message to every public entity that has supported the NHL.
Therefore, we request that the NHL revisit this matter immediately. Given that Long Island’s 2026 NHL All-Star Weekend has been canceled, the NHL should bring a hockey event with equal or greater economic activity and cultural value to the region in 2027.
New York, home of three NHL franchises and the league’s headquarters, has always been and will continue to be a proud hockey state, and mutual respect is essential in any partnership. We are prepared to be constructive, but we also expect the NHL to honor its commitments to the people of New York.
Sincerely, Governor Kathy Hochul
Translation: New York is Pissed
As Hochul specifically states, this entire mess of a situation could’ve been entirely avoided. Instead of preemptively awarding an All-Star Game in an Olympic season, the NHL could have given one to the Islanders in 2027. Or some other event, like the NHL Draft, even if it’s now a shell of itself.
Instead, the Islanders are left holding the bag after using this event as a selling point for season-ticket holders to renew their plans.
By the way, Hochul’s line “…sends the wrong message to every public entity that has supported the NHL…” is a clear shot. Most billionaire owners do not want to spend money on arenas. It’s well-known that Bettman is trying to further expand the league. Hochul, the Governor of one of the most powerful states in the United States, fires off that line as a direct warning for states not to publicly fund arenas, the crux of almost any arena-building project.
Hochul specifically asks for a 2027 event to be held at UBS Arena to replace what should’ve been a big-time financial boon for the Islanders and New York itself.
NHL Fires Back:
Mere moments after the Hochul letter became public, the NHL had a story go live through ESPN.
https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/45010887/source-nhl-sub-26-all-star-weekend-international-event
One league source cited in the piece dubs the non-hockey send-off event as a “Spectacular International Event,” while not elaborating any further whatsoever.
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