Tampa reportedly set to host the 2018 NHL All-Star game

by Erik Erlendsson | @Erik_Erlendsson | Like us on Facebook
May 16, 2017

Tampa, Fla. – Tampa might soon be a popular spot for some All-Star gazing.

Amalie Arena is expected to be named as the host for NHL All-Star Weekend, which would be held the weekend of Jan. 27-28, 2018. Tampa last hosted the All-Star game in 1999.

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No formal announcement is considered imminent and the league has yet to fully commit to hosting an All-Star game next season due to the 2018 Olympics in South Korea. While the league has all but ruled out Olympic participation in 2018, the International Ice Hockey Federation and International Olympic Committee continue to hold out hope the league will change its mind and the door remains open and the line of communication remain open .

If the league announces that Tampa will host the All-Star game, first reported by Yahoo Sports, it would signal that the door on Olympic participation is closed.

Lightning owner Jeff Vinik, who purchased the team in 2010, has been public about seeking to host one of the league’s marquee events – the NHL Entry Level Draft, an outdoor game or the All-Star Game.

With Tampa Bay scheduled to celebrate the 25th anniversary season during the 207-18 campaign, the All-Star game would serve as the signature celebration for the milestone season.

A Lightning official referred all inquiries on the matter to the league while a league spokesman declined to comment or confirm on the initial report.

But when the league decides to make the announcement of the location of the 2018 All-Star Game, Tampa will be the host, joining a list of national sporting events held at Amalie Arena, which includes the 1999 All-Star game, two Women’s NCAA Final Four basketball championships, two NCAA Frozen Four hockey championship, two Stanley Cup finals and the NCAA Women’s volleyball championships.

The first All-Star game in Tampa featured a North America vs. The World team format that featured players from Canada and the United States against a team made up of players from Europe and Russia. The 1999 All-Star Game also turned out to be the final All-Star game for Wayne Gretzky, who retired following the end of the season.

The All-Star game has undergone a handful of format changes since it last appeared in Tampa. The latest format features a 3-on-3 tournament featuring players from each of the four divisions vying for a monetary prize. Also as part of NHL All-Star weekend, the league hosts the Skills Competition the night before the game.

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