In a surprising twist for hockey fans, the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina may not have all its venues ready for action as hoped. The president of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), Luc Tardif, revealed that while the main hockey rink might not be completely finalized by the time the competition kicks off, key elements such as the playing surface, practice areas, and locker rooms are scheduled to be operational when the men's games begin on February 11.
Tardif expressed optimism during a press conference at the world junior championship, stating, "We can be confident on that. You’re not going to go to Milano for nothing." However, he did mention that the seating capacity of the main arena, which is set to accommodate 11,800 spectators, falls short of his expectations. "That’s a little bit short," he commented, as reported by The Canadian Press, while also assuring that the setup would still be pleasant for the Olympic Games.
The Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena and the secondary Rho facility have been under scrutiny due to construction delays and other issues, particularly with the NHL returning to the Winter Games for the first time since 2014, and the women’s tournament starting on February 5.
Concerns about the construction quality and ice surface have been raised by the NHL. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly emphasized last month in Winnipeg that the league would refrain from sending players if there were any safety issues with the ice. To mitigate these risks, the NHL plans to send experts to Italy to evaluate the ice conditions. Although the rinks at these venues are smaller than standard NHL dimensions, they still comply with IIHF regulations.
It's important to note that the IIHF does not manage the construction process; that responsibility lies with the International Olympic Committee and local organizing committees, which limits what the IIHF can do regarding timelines. Tardif is set to visit Italy soon alongside officials from the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association to participate in an event that will test the facilities.
"I’m confident about the quality of the infrastructure," Tardif stated. "We would have liked to sleep much better … I think we will have a good competition, but maybe you can ask me the question after (this week)."
Interestingly, the NHL was reportedly taken aback to discover that the dimensions of the two rinks will be slightly wider and three feet shorter than previously agreed upon with the IIHF. Daly noted that the league and the NHLPA have made it clear to the IIHF their expectation that the ice surface will conform to standard NHL sizes for the 2030 Olympics in France.
