NHL returning to Alberta to host major league event

At the moment, the Calgary Flames are seeking an upgrade to the now-dated Saddledome, and the team's ownership is in discussions with the city to green light the funding and the project to build a new NHL arena.

Now according to Ryan Pike, Flames ownership will have a condition to seriously push to host either the NHL Draft or the All-Star Game in Calgary within the first three years of the arena's opening.


The NHL last held a major league event with the draft in Calgary back in 2000, meaning it's been more than 25 years since the league went to Alberta for one of these marquee events - far too long of a wait.


What's more is that the NHL draft has now been voted to become decentralized and mostly online, so the event coming to Alberta soon is likely the all-star game. Next year's All Star Game has been cancelled too, now in favour of the league's four nations faceoff tournament. Considering all this, it seems likely that the All-Star Game will return to Calgary sometime after 2026.