WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The NHL is teasing a potential new era for its annual all-star showcase.

Following the runaway success of last month's 4 Nations Face-Off, which replaced the NHL's traditional All-Star Game, the league is prepared to roll out something entirely different again in February 2026 when the New York Islanders host the sport's top skaters at UBS Arena.

"We're reevaluating how we want to do things, because I think we've raised the bar about as high as you can for an all-star game in any sport," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Wednesday, speaking on the final day of the league's annual general manager meetings. "And so we want to make sure whatever we do is up to the standards that we've created."

The 4 Nations was the league's first foray into a best-on-best international competition since it staged a World Cup in 2016. The tournament pitted NHL stars from Canada, the United States, Sweden and Finland in a round-robin format that culminated with Canada winning the title over the United States off Connor McDavid's overtime goal.

The tournament was a precursor to the NHL returning to the Olympics, after the NHL opted out of the 2018 Games and didn't attend in 2022 because of the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the regular season. Bettman said Wednesday that the league was meeting with the IIHF later this month to "conclude matters" in anticipation of NHL skaters appearing at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Games.

The overwhelmingly positive response to 4 Nations -- especially in comparison to the NHL's typical All-Star Game -- has encouraged the league to lean into more new ideas. Asked if 4 Nations had affected future all-star games, Bettman demurred -- "that's a hypothetical question" -- before clarifying that a forthcoming reveal is still under construction.

"We've promised the Islanders an event," Bettman said. "We're focused on what we need to do. I don't want to be pinned down in this moment. We're still going through our cycle of what we're doing in the here and now. I don't want to have speculation."

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said "everything is on the table" and acknowledged that announcing what the league has planned before the playoffs begin in mid-April would make sense.

Ahead in April for the NHL will also be collective bargaining talks with the players' association. The current CBA expires in September 2026, and Bettman said the two sides will sit down starting the week of April 1 to discuss a new agreement.

Bettman was predictably vague on the agenda for those meetings but didn't anticipate tackling major hurdles.

"I don't think on either side we're looking at fundamental issues," Bettman said. "I'm anticipating based on everything I'm hearing from [NHLPA director] Marty [Walsh] that we're going to have good discussions. It's more logistics and operations, understanding technical aspects of their day-to-day lives of dealing with players and rosters and contracts and the like. We want to hear what are issues in their mind that are problems, what are things they'd like us to consider. ... I'm hoping we can do this quickly, quietly and painlessly."

One negotiation point could involve new rules pertaining to junior hockey and college eligibility. The NCAA voted late last year to allow players from the Canadian Hockey League to maintain their college eligibility. Previously CHL skaters had been considered professionals by the NCAA's standard of amateurism rules because some CHL prospects had signed NHL entry-level contracts.

What Bettman doesn't expect on the table is an adjustment to the playoff format. While the NHL is obviously invested in a facelift for its all-star competition, there is no such desire from Bettman to revamp how the league fills out its postseason bracket.

"I like exactly what we have," Bettman said. "If you look at the races that we're having in the regular season, playoffs have started already. We're in our play-in tournament. I think it's terrific. What could be more compelling and exciting?"

Right after the NHL crowns its next champion, it will dive into its new decentralized draft. Instead of gathering all 32 teams in one city for the 2025 entry draft, the league will have one representative from each club in Los Angeles to greet prospects while most team members remain in their home cities.

Bettman isn't committed to that format forever, though. The NHL will wait and see how things go in June and take feedback from clubs on a path forward. Until then, consider the NHL to be fully embracing yet another new chapter.

"This is what the clubs said they wanted," Bettman said. "And a number have said, well, maybe we should have the other [format]. We said, listen, we'll go through this experience and if there's a surge of interest to go back, we'll bring it back to the clubs [for their feedback]. We've let the clubs make this determination, and we'll execute it in accordance with their desire to be decentralized. But if there is a desire to go back ... we can be flexible."

United Soccer League (USL) club owners voted on Wednesday for a promotion and relegation system, marking the first time the European-style system would be implemented in the United States.

Last month, USL confirmed plans to launch a Division One men's professional league in 2027 to rival Major League Soccer within the sanctioning standards of the U.S. Soccer Federation.

USL said that league would operate completely separately from MLS, despite working under the same sanctioning by U.S. Soccer as a professional soccer league. This new league would give the USL a three-tiered pro system featuring the Division One, plus a second-division called the USL Championship and third-division USL League One.

"A new chapter in American soccer begins. The decision by our owners to approve and move forward with this bold direction is a testament to their commitment to the long-term growth of soccer in the United States," USL CEO Alec Papadakis said in a statement on Wednesday.

"This is a significant milestone for the USL and highlights our shared vision with our team ownership to build a league that not only provides top-tier competition but also champions community engagement. Now, just as it is in the global game, more communities in America can aspire to compete at the highest level of soccer. It's time."

USL launched in 1986 and has said it aims to foster a youth-to-professional pathway for both men and women under one system across communities nationwide.

The organization previously launched a women's pathway that includes the top-tier USL Super League (Division I), which debuted in 2024, and USL W League, the country's leading pre-professional women's league, according to a news release from USL.

Promotion and relegation is the model used by soccer leagues in nearly every country throughout the world, including England, Spain, Germany, Brazil and Argentina, but the idea has been kept at arm's length by MLS commissioner Don Garber.

On Wednesday, U.S. Soccer said it would welcome the USL's change.

"The continued investment into the game reflects the strength of the United States as a soccer country, which will only accelerate as we build toward hosting the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup and bid for the 2031 FIFA Women's World Cup. We welcome innovation and growth to the landscape of American soccer, and we look forward to learning more," U.S. Soccer said in a statement.

The USL would be the first major sports league to employ promotion and relegation in the United States.

"Promotion and relegation transforms the competitive landscape of American soccer," USL president Paul McDonough said. "With the 2026 World Cup and other major international events approaching, we have a unique opportunity to build on that momentum and create a sustainable future for the sport in the U.S. Fans and stakeholders have been clear -- they want something different. They're drawn to the intensity of high-stakes competition, where more matches have real consequences -- just like we see in European leagues. This shift challenges the status quo and brings a level of excitement and relevance that can elevate the game across the country."

Information from Jeff Carlisle was used in this report.

PARIS -- Kylian Mbappé returns to lead France against Croatia after a six-month absence and on Wednesday criticized himself over how he handled the captaincy before.

The Real Madrid star captains Les Bleus in Split in the first leg of a Nations League quarterfinal on Thursday, with the return leg on Sunday at Stade de France.

It will be his first start for France since a 3-1 loss to Italy on Sept. 6. That match was held at Parc des Princes, home to his former club Paris Saint-Germain. Mbappé said he did not handle things well at the time.

"I am lucid enough to know what I do well and what I don't do well. I know people were not happy with what I was doing on and off the field, and I wasn't doing them well," Mbappé said at a pre-match news conference. "I have no problem questioning myself. I have never had any problem with criticism when it is deserved and well-argued."

Back in September, Mbappé was subpar for Madrid and the national team but he hit back and said that people's opinions about him were "the least of my worries."

He also said "I don't care" about the reception he will get playing again at PSG's stadium having left following months of strong tensions with the club's hierarchy and the fans.

Six months later, he accepts some of the criticism aimed his way at the time was valid.

"I didn't play well against Italy and my [pre-match] news conference didn't please people, because as captain I didn't bring people together," Mbappé said. "I accept that, but now the most important thing is to move forward and not to repeat the same mistakes."

The 26-year-old Mbappé is third on France's all-time scoring list with 48 goals, but he has found the net in only two of his past 12 international games. There were doubts as to whether Mbappé would keep the captaincy, but he did so following discussions with coach Didier Deschamps.

The 2018 World Cup winner was left out of Nations League matches against Israel and Italy last November, when Deschamps said " it's better that way " given Mbappé's physical and mental struggles.

Mbappé was also absent from a previous gathering because of a minor thigh injury, but nevertheless played for Real Madrid, thus angering many France fans and raising questions over priorities between club and country.

After a difficult start to his Madrid career, Mbappé is now scoring freely and has 31 goals in 44 games this season.

"I am feeling good, I feel happy to play football," Mbappé said. "I am happy to be here to help the [France] team."

Mbappé only has Thierry Henry (51 goals) and Olivier Giroud (57) ahead of him in the national team.

Mbappé is set to be reunited in attack with PSG forward Ousmane Dembélé, the French league's top scorer.

Both have already reached 30 goals overall this season, but while Mbappé did so for the seventh time in a row, the newly prolific Dembélé managed it for the first time.

"He's another string to our bow," Mbappé said of Dembélé, who is also a close friend. "When you see his current form it gives us even more options, it makes us even more unpredictable for the opponent."

He relishes the prospect of facing the Croats together.

"We just need to combine properly," Mbappé said. "But we know each other off by heart and we want to play together."

Dembélé has a lot of catching up to do, however, with just six international goals in 53 games.

LOS ANGELES -- When the U.S. men's national team announced its roster for the Concacaf Nations League finals last week, there was plenty of attention placed on the return of some former mainstays. AFC Bournemouth's midfield-destroyer extraordinaire Tyler Adams was on the list. So was Giovanni Reyna, who for all of the concerns about his lack of playing time at Borussia Dortmund, was the Nations League MVP just 12 months ago.

The best-laid plans of USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino have sustained some body blows in the past 48 hours, though. Stalwart left back Antonee Robinson is out, as are midfielder Johnny Cardoso and center back Auston Trusty.

That has forced Pochettino to dig into his depth a bit more than he might have otherwise in terms of call-ups. The same is true for getting on the field, and the opportunity is there for some players to get some unexpected minutes. Good thing that Pochettino has spread out some playing time since he came on board and collected plenty of data as it relates to the player pool.

Here are some roster wild cards who could further make a name for themselves as the USMNT chases its fourth consecutive Nations League crown.

Diego Luna | midfielder | 21 | Real Salt Lake

Luna didn't get on the field as much as he would have liked during the January camp, but that was mostly down to a broken nose he sustained against Costa Rica. And in the 70 minutes of time he did log over two matches, he showed enough creativity and clever touches -- including an assist to Brian White against the Ticos -- to catch Pochettino's eye and earn a second invite, this time with a trophy on the line.

It seems unlikely that Luna will start. That still seems to be the domain of players such as Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Reyna, but if the USMNT is in need of some magic to break down a stout opposition defense -- and in the recent past, Panama have fit that description -- then one could easily see Pochettino summoning the RSL attacker off the bench.

Luna has made significant strides in his career over the past 12 months, winning MLS' Young Player of the Year award. A stellar cameo appearance in this tournament will see him continue that upward trajectory.

Tanner Tessmann | midfielder | 23 | Lyon

Cardoso's injury opened a spot on the roster for the Houston Dynamo's Jack McGlynn, yet it is Tessmann who figures to benefit the most from Cardoso's absence, in that his game bears a closer resemblance to the Real Betis midfielder's. Except that Tessmann has been even tidier on the ball this season and has as many progressive passes and carries as Cardoso does in about half the minutes.

Tessmann has endured some ups and downs during his first season in Ligue 1 with Lyon, but he also has the confidence of Pochettino, having started both legs of the Nations League quarterfinal series against Jamaica last November and logging considerable minutes in each match.

Does Pochettino start Tessmann on Thursday? Adams' presence on the roster makes that unlikely, but if the manager finds himself needing another steady and imposing midfield presence late in a match, Tessmann would seem to be the primary candidate.

Brian White | forward | 29 | Vancouver Whitecaps

White is this generation's Chris Wondolowski: a late bloomer who has developed into the ultimate phantom menace in the box. Turn your head for just a second, and White is gone, using his intelligent movement to pop up in prime scoring position and leaving defenders wondering just how it is that the Whitecaps forward got there.

White's stat line this season reads just one goal in four league matches, but he's scored three times in the Concacaf Champions Cup, including a vital away goal in the second leg against Liga MX powerhouse Monterrey to move Vancouver into the quarterfinals. This is a man thriving in tough situations.

Josh Sargent is expected to start up top, but White could provide a spark off the bench if some guile in the box is needed late.

Max Arfsten | defender | 23 | Columbus Crew

In Robinson's absence, there are myriad backline personnel combinations that Pochettino could utilize. He could shift Tim Ream to left back in a four-man backline. He could slide Joe Scally to the left side and use Yunus Musah or Marlon Fossey at right back. Tim Weah's versatility is such that he could be moved closer to his own goal as an outside back.

The option that seems most like-for-like is using Arfsten as a hybrid left back/wingback. That is the role that Robinson has filled often under Pochettino, with the likes of Ream, Mark McKenzie and Scally staying home. And it's similar to the way Arfsten is used in Columbus. He could also play as a wingback in a pure three-man backline.

Does Arfsten have the defensive chops to play there at international level? That is the big question. Columbus plays a lot on the front foot. That won't necessarily be the case in the Nations League, but with a veteran like Ream in close proximity, he might have enough defensive support to make it work.

The Washington Commanders took care of their offense by trading for receiver Deebo Samuel. Now they have taken care of him, reworking the final year of his contract to give him guaranteed money.

Washington guaranteed $17 million of Samuel's contract in 2025 and added $3 million worth of incentives, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Wednesday.

Before this move, Samuel had no guaranteed money remaining and was scheduled to have a base salary of $16,600,529 with a $200,000 workout bonus and a per game roster bonus of $44,117 worth up to $750,000.

Washington traded a fifth-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers to acquire Samuel, a deal that was agreed upon March 1 and became official when the new league year began March 12. Samuel is scheduled to conduct a video news conference with Washington reporters Thursday.

Samuel is expected to be a primary weapon for quarterback Jayden Daniels and become another receiving option at the wide receiver position behind Terry McLaurin.

Samuel caught 334 passes in his first six seasons, all with the 49ers. He gained 5,935 yards from scrimmage as he became one of the NFL's more dynamic players.

His 1,143 rushing yards are the second most by a receiver since he entered the NFL in 2019 as a second-round draft pick. Samuel trails only the Pittsburgh Steelers' Cordarrelle Patterson (1,964 yards) during this period, but Samuel has caught 208 more passes.

McNeese's Will Wade has reached an agreement to become the next head coach at NC State, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.

McNeese, which won the Southland Conference regular season and tournament championships, is set to play in the NCAA tournament against Clemson on Thursday (TruTV, 3:15 p.m. ET).

The news is expected to be made official following McNeese's exit from the tournament.

Wade acknowledged Wednesday he's had contact with the Wolfpack regarding its head coaching position.

"There's no need to hide it," Wade said. "The guys are reading it on social media. It's no secret and I'm not going to ask them to do something I'm not willing to do. It's no good if you don't address it and if you sit there and B.S. 'em. They know. They can read right through the B.S. So you might as well just [say] 'This is what it is.'"

Wade has spent the past two seasons at McNeese, winning 57 games and going 36-2 in conference play, winning back-to-back regular-season and conference tournament titles.

He spent five seasons as the head coach at LSU from 2018-22, leading the Tigers to three out of four NCAA tournaments, including the program's first SEC regular-season title in a decade in 2019. Wade went 105-51 overall at LSU.

LSU fired Wade on the eve of the NCAA tournament back in 2022 after the school received a notice of allegations from the NCAA detailing five Level I violations and a Level II violation involving Wade. He was also suspended shortly before the 2019 NCAA tournament after reports revealed that a federal wiretap captured him discussing a "strong-ass offer" for a recruit.

He was ultimately given a two-year show-cause order and a 10-game suspension in June 2023 for three Level I violations, after being found to have made impermissible payments to the former fiancée of a player, while also failing to cooperate in an investigation and failing to promote an atmosphere of compliance.

Prior to taking over at LSU, Wade was the head coach at VCU for two seasons, winning 51 games and a regular-season title. He led the Rams to the NCAA tournament in both seasons. He also spent two seasons at Chattanooga, going 27-7 in SoCon play during his time with the Mocs.

The Detroit Lions have proposed a significant change to NFL playoff seeding that would largely use regular-season records as the guiding principle, rather than division championships, according to a list of potential rule changes the league released Wednesday.

Under the proposal, the division winner with the conference's best record would still receive the No. 1 overall seed. But after that, teams would be stacked by records, regardless of whether they won their divisions or received wild-card berths.

That approach could have a significant effect on the Lions and the highly competitive NFC North, which fielded three playoff teams last season -- the Lions (15-2), Minnesota Vikings (14-3) and Green Bay Packers (11-6). The Lions received the NFC's No. 1 seed, but the Vikings were seeded No. 5, and the Packers were No. 7. Based purely on records, the Vikings would have been the No. 3 seed, and the Packers would have been No. 5.

The Los Angeles Chargers made a similar proposal in 2023, but it did not receive much support. Any NFL team can make a rule change proposal for consideration by owners. The proposals require at least 24 votes to be approved, but owners are generally more likely to approve proposals that are endorsed by the competition committee rather than individual teams.

Owners are scheduled to meet March 30-April 2 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Other club proposals for changes to rules, bylaws and resolutions include:

• A previously reported attempt to ban the tush push short-yardage play the Philadelphia Eagles have used in recent years, submitted by the Green Bay Packers. The rule would prevent players from pushing a teammate that is "lined up directly behind the snapper and receives the snap, immediately at the snap."

• A proposal that would eliminate the automatic first down that comes with an illegal contact or defensive holding penalty, submitted by the Lions, who led the league last season with 11 flags for defensive holding.

• A submission from the Eagles to give both teams a guaranteed possession in overtime during the regular season, aligning with current rules for playoff games.

• A resolution from the Pittsburgh Steelers to allows some direct contact between pending free agents and teams that are pursuing them during the three-day negotiating window that precedes the opening of the league year.

• A change submitted by multiple teams that would allow preparing K-balls that are used for kicking before game day as teams are allowed to do with the balls that are used on other plays.