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.
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.