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The National Hockey League’s worries about the rink at the 2026 Winter Olympics aren’t totally on ice, but there’s rising optimism the high-stakes construction race in Italy will ultimately succeed.
During NHL Board of Governors meetings happening this week in Colorado, league deputy commissioner Bill Daly said he remains “cautiously optimistic” that the delayed construction of Santagiulia Arena, near Milan, will be completed in time for the Olympics in February.
Additionally, the league is sending some of its personnel to the construction site to aid in the final stages of the facility development, as there is no margin for error or further delay.
“We’re basically moving everybody there to try to help get this done in a way that’s acceptable for NHL athletes,” Daly said. “I’m cautiously optimistic that’s all going to be fruitful.
“They’re moving towards their goal. There doesn’t seem to be anything insurmountable in getting to completion,” he said.
Long-Held Concerns
Despite that hope, the situation around the arena construction, and the development of an Olympic-quality ice within it, has been a continual source of stress around the sport. In October at a prior NHL BOG meeting, commissioner Gary Bettman said the league has “had a concern for the last two years on the progress of the rink.” Then it was revealed that the ice dimensions would be slightly shorter and wider than NHL standards.
Daly said he wasn’t as concerned about the rink dimensions in Italy, particularly since some former NHL arenas had slightly different lengths and widths. Rather, ensuring top quality for the Olympic ice itself is a key focus.
“If the players feel the ice is unsafe, we’re not going to play,” Daly said. “It’s as simple as that.”
A statement released Monday by the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics organizing committee read in part, “All involved, the IIHF, the organizing committee, NHL, NHLPA, IOC, and the relevant venue authorities agree the differences in rink specifications are insignificant. We look forward to welcoming the world’s best players for a best-on-best competition at the Games.”
Construction is set to finish at Santagiulia Arena by Feb. 2, with testing to happen immediately after that. The first event at the facility is set to be the start of the Olympic women’s tournament on Feb. 5. The men’s tournament will begin Feb. 11.
Daly, meanwhile, made it clear that such issues will not be permitted for the 2030 Olympics in the French Alps.
“I think both we and the players’ association have made the IIHF very aware that when we participate in the Olympics in 2030, we expect it to be an NHL ice surface,” he said.
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