'We're coming': Bettman says when asked about Edmonton hosting All-Star Game, NHL Draft

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman takes questions from reporters at Rogers Place in Edmonton on February 27, 2023. (Sean McClune/CTV News Edmonton)

The NHL wants to hold an All-Star Game and a draft in the Alberta capital, but the league's commissioner said it's waiting for construction to wrap up around Rogers Place.

Gary Bettman took questions from reporters in Edmonton Monday evening, where he was asked about the city holding only one draft and one All-Star Game since the Oilers joined the NHL 44 years ago.

"From the Oilers' perspective, from the Oilers Entertainment Group perspective, they want the Ice District finished. At that point, they want us to bring the events, and we're happy to do that," Bettman said.

"We're coming. It's just a question of timing."

He didn't specify which one would come first or when the events might happen.

The last draft in Edmonton was in 1995, when Bryan Berard was taken first overall by the Ottawa Senators.

The Oilers last hosted an All-Star Game in 1989 at Northlands Coliseum, where Wayne Gretzky of the Los Angeles Kings was named MVP.

Last week, Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand suggested players would "boycott" any game that was held in Seattle, Detroit or Edmonton based on a reporter's post that those cities are frontrunners for the game in 2025.

"Everybody has an opinion," Bettman said when asked about Marchand's post.

"And opinions are frequently thrown out there as trial balloons. But in the final analysis, I don't think we would have any trouble hosting a successful All-Star Game here or in any other city we have a team."

The last seven All-Star Games have all been in Florida, Nevada, Missouri, California and Tennessee, fueling speculation that the NHL and its players prefer the event be held in warmer climates, but Bettman pushed back against that.

"What's wrong with coming up here [to Edmonton] in January? This is a place where hockey matters. Our players love to be in places where hockey matters and I don't see it to be an issue at all in terms of bringing an All-Star Game here," he said.

The 2024 All-Star Game will be held in Toronto.

Bettman was also asked about Edmonton hosting the Calgary Flames at a Heritage Classic game on Oct. 29.

The event will mark the 20th anniversary of the NHL's first outdoor regular season game at Commonwealth Stadium in November 2003 in front of 57,167 fans.

"It's become, I think, unique in sports and it has been a trademark of ours, and it just gets better and better every year, and we think coming back here next fall is going to be spectacular," Bettman said.

"And there will be a lot of events planned around it both downtown and out at the stadium."

Since the original Edmonton game, more than 30 others have been held outdoors, most of them called Winter Classic or Stadium Series.

Bettman has been commissioner of the league since 1993.