The NHL announced Monday its intention to forgo the 2026 All-Star Game and replace it with an international tournament ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

Following the success of this year's 4 Nations Face-Off, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman moved to scrap plans for the 2026 All-Star Game at UBS Arena on Long Island, N.Y., and instead provide fans with an Olympic kickoff event.

That news didn't sit too well with New York governor Kathy Hochul, who penned a letter Monday in which she expressed her disappointment over the decision from Bettman and the rest of the NHL.

Have a look at Hochul's message:

Much of the reason behind her dismay was the level of investment that had been made towards hosting an All-Star Game in Elmont. Despite the event being scrapped, the NHL still reportedly intends to use UBS Arena as the venue for the international event that's replacing the All-Star Game, per the Associated Press. Additionally, the idea of allowing UBS Arena to host the 2027 All-Star Game has not been ruled out.

Still, Hochul was miffed over the change in plans.

"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 in support of the league itself," wrote Hochul in part of her statement.

"The cancellation of the 2026 All-Star Weekend, an event expected to bring million 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," she added.

UBS Arena is one of 13 NHL stadiums that has never hosted an All-Star Game, and after the decision from Bettman and the NHL, it will have to wait a while longer until it gets its opportunity to do so.

More on Sports Illustrated


This article was originally published on www.si.com as New York Governor Bashes NHL, Gary Bettman for Cancelling 2026 All-Star Game.

Test hyperlink for boilerplate