Juraj Slafkovský named to NHL All-Star 2027 Team World roster amid Czech fan backlash

The NHL has released the projected roster for the Team World squad that will compete at the 2027 All‑Star weekend, which will be held on 5‑6 February at UBS Arena on Long Island. The exhibition will use a new 3‑on‑3 format and feature five teams – Canada, United States, Sweden, Finland and Team World.

Team World’s line‑up includes Slovak forward Juraj Slafkovský of the Montreal Canadiens, German star Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers), Swiss captain Nico Hischier (New Jersey Devils) and several Russian players such as Alexander Ovechkin, Artem Panarin, Kirill Kaprizov, Nikita Kučerov and Andrej Vasilevskij. Czech players Martin Nečas and David Pastrňák also appear, prompting strong reactions from Czech fans who object to sharing a team with Russian athletes amid the Ukraine conflict. One fan wrote, “Väčšina Čechov odsudzuje krvavú ruskú agresiu na Ukrajine.” The final roster will be refined by a fan vote that opens in December.

The announcement has sparked debate on social media but the All‑Star game proceeds as scheduled with the new format and the international mix of players.