The Olympic send-off event at UBS Arena is no more.
The Super Bowl Media Day-style event for the Olympic hockey tournament that was planned in lieu of an All-Star Game at UBS Arena is being canceled, an Islanders spokesman confirmed to The Post.
ESPN’s Emily Kaplan was the first to report the news.
The 2026 Olympics sendoff at UBS Arena has been canceled. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Islanders are still slated to host the 2027 All-Star Game and skills competition, which will be the NHL’s first time holding a traditional All-Star Game since 2024.
The 2026 All-Star Game was given to UBS before the NHL announced it would send players to the Olympics in Milan.
When it became clear that the Olympics would replace the All-Star Game in 2026, it was changed into a media event and the Islanders were given the 2027 All-Star Game instead.
The NHL and NHLPA, however, determined that it would be best to allow players and coaches to focus on preparing for the best-on-best competition that will renew in Italy a year after Team Canada defeated the U.S. in the 4 Nations Face-Off Final.
With best-on-best hockey scheduled to be played every other year for the foreseeable future — the World Cup of Hockey is set to renew in 2028 on a quadrennial basis and the Olympics will fill the other even-numbered years — All-Star Games will likely carry far less gravitas than in the past.
The Islanders, who have wanted to host league events at UBS Arena since the building opened in 2021, have been the losers in getting the 2026 event that is now completely shifted to 2027, which will undoubtedly feel small in comparison to what is in store this February.
Alexander Romanov missed a second straight game with an upper-body injury and, after being a full participant in Monday’s practice, was not on the ice Tuesday morning.
Head coach Patrick Roy described him as day to day.
Max Tsyplakov returned to the Islanders lineup after being a healthy scratch for the past two games, skating on the fourth line with Simon Holmstrom and Casey Cizikas.
Kyle MacLean drew out as a healthy scratch.
“It’s tough,” Roy said when asked about Tsyplakov’s performance, in which he saw 6:36 of ice time. “It’s hard when you haven’t played for a few games and the timing and everything. But he’s gonna be fine.”
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