The Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics: No Ice Hockey?

BEIJING, CHINA - FEBRUARY 11: Team United States huddles before a game against Team Czech Republic during the Women's Ice Hockey Quarterfinal match on Day 7 of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at Wukesong Sports Centre on February 11, 2022 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)Getty ImagesThe Winter Olympics are set to begin on February 6, 2026, in Milan. Due to well-publicized construction delays, completion of the Milano Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena is going down to the wire. It may not be finished in time. And, by the way, the ice surface inside the hockey arena is reportedly smaller than a standard NHL rink, and that has some powerful hockey people concerned.The Milano Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena MILAN, ITALY - NOVEMBER 26: An general view of the Milano Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena located in the Santa Giulia district on November 26, 2025 in Milan, Italy. For the 2026 Olympic Games, a new multi-purpose arena will be inaugurated, where 16,000 people will be able to watch the best national teams and the great international stars of ice hockey and para ice hockey on November 26, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Vincenzo Lombardo/Getty Images)Getty ImagesThe design of the new San Giulia Ice Hockey Arena is inspired by ancient amphitheaters but with modern materials, featuring shimmering aluminum rings and glass bands that light up at night. The venue will hold up to 16,000 spectators, with seating and standing areas, plus premium lounges and VIP boxes. MILANO, ITALY - MARCH 27: An aerial view of the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena located in the Santa Giulia district of Milan, onn the occasion of the 2026 Olympic Games, a new multi-purpose arena will be inaugurated, where 10,000 people will be able to admire the best national teams and the great international stars of ice hockey and para ice hockey, on March 27, 2025 in Milano, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)Getty ImagesAfter the Games, the arena will serve as a versatile hub for major sporting events, concerts, and live entertainment. Sustainable design resulted in the roof of the arena being designed with photovoltaic panels on the roof for energy efficiency. The arena is situated in the Santa Giulia district, and is part of a large urban redevelopment project, which will include a large public piazza, multi-level parking, and spacious concourses. MORE FOR YOUMILAN, ITALY - AUGUST 28: An general view of the Milano Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena located in the Santa Giulia district on August 28, 2025 in Milan, Italy. For the 2026 Olympic Games, a new multi-purpose arena will be inaugurated, where 16,000 people will be able to watch the best national teams and the great international stars of ice hockey and para ice hockey. (Photo by Vincenzo Lombardo/Getty Images)Getty ImagesBut Time is Running OutConcerns have been raised about the progress of the hockey arena and rink surface ahead of the Olympics. There was meant to be a test event in early December to trial the hockey rink, but that's already been pushed back to January, one month before the Olympics. Typically, Olympic venues are required to be tested a year or more in advance, especially arenas with ice, to address any quality and safety concerns.VANCOUVER, BC - FEBRUARY 21: Dany Heatley #15 of Canada scores past goalkeeper Ryan Miller #39 of the United States during the ice hockey men's preliminary game between Canada and USA on day 10 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at Canada Hockey Place on February 21, 2010 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)Getty ImagesThere Is No Plan “B”VANCOUVER, BC - FEBRUARY 25: (L-R) Marie-Philip Poulin #29 and Tessa Bonhomme #25 of Canada celebrate winning the gold medal with a beer and a cigar following their team's 2-0 victory during the ice hockey women's gold medal game between Canada and USA on day 14 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at Canada Hockey Place on February 25, 2010 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)Getty Images“There is no Plan B,” Andrea Francisi, the chief Games operations officer for Milano-Cortina said Saturday, according to The Associated Press. “So necessarily, we have to be able to organize the competition in an impeccable manner at Santagiulia.” The ice hockey competition is scheduled to begin with a women’s game on Feb. 5, one day ahead of the Opening Ceremonies. Francisi added he is confident “for the moment” that the venue will be ready in time.“There are daily updates in the sense that our team is there working every day,” he said. “The companies which are involved with the building of the facility have sped up their work significantly. “We’re monitoring all that daily together with them. There’s great collaboration between us. We’re creating a coordinated plan between their work and our preparations and for the moment we’re healthily optimistic, but 100% we’ll do it.”NHL Players Are ComingPITTSBURGH - FEBRUARY 03: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins poses for a portrait in his Team Canada 2010 Olympic jersey on February 3, 2010 at Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)Getty ImagesThe 2026 Winter Olympics will see NHL players return to competition after the league relaxed its international rules, with a World Cup of Hockey rumored to be in the making. It'll be the first time since 2014 that NHL players have competed in the ice hockey event, but concerns have already been shared. The standard surface length in the NHL is 200 feet from end to end, but historically, Olympic rinks have been slightly larger. However, surfaces are reportedly less than 197 feet in Milan, which could influence how managers prepare for the competition.SAN JOSE, CA - NOVEMBER 28: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) skates during warm up before the NHL game between the Vancouver Canucks and the San Jose Sharks on November 28, 2025 at SAP Center in San Jose, CA. (Photo by Scott Dinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesWhat’s The Big Deal?Three feet may not sound like much, but it can have a significant impact on how hockey is played, especially when elite NHL players are on the ice. With the rink being smaller, more hits are expected, and nations are already considering whether to prioritize more physical players on their rosters.April 5, 2016: Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi (59), of Switzerland, is shown during an NHL game between the Nashville Predators and the Colorado Avalanche, held at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesThe NHL initially withdrew players from competition after the 2014 Games, with disputes over costs and insurance between the league and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) one of the primary factors. The construction delays haven’t been reassuring, and now the surface is also smaller than expected.The Rink Is Too Small?MONTREAL, QUEBEC - FEBRUARY 15: Mikael Granlund #64 of Team Finland celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal as Linus Ullmark #35 of Team Sweden looks on during the overtime period of the 4 Nations Face-Off game between Finland and Sweden at Bell Centre on February 15, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec. (Photo by Vitor Munhoz/4NFO/World Cup of Hockey via Getty Images)World Cup of Hockey via Getty ImagesThe NHL has sent players to an Olympics with a 60-meter rink in the past, but that was with the “significantly wider surface (30 meters) typically used for international play.” The agreement between the NHL, NHLPA, IOC, and IIHF for Milan-Cortina called for hockey to be “played on a surface completed to the specifications used in NHL buildings.”This is the latest in a “string of puzzling developments” around the arena. The NHL has been raising alarms about the arena for years, with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman also “expressing concern as far back as the Board of Governors meeting in December of 2023 about the fact that construction hadn’t started at that point.” LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 27: Commissioner Gary Bettman of the NHL addresses the media regarding the CBA at Peacock Theater on June 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)Getty ImagesWill There Be Ice Hockey At The 2026 Winter Olympics?While the situation is down to the wire, there are no indications as of the date of this story that the NHL plans to pull its players from the event. The consensus among insiders is that the issues are manageable and will be overcome. A test event originally scheduled for December 2025 is postponed to January 9-11, 2026, just a month before the Games begin. The NHL and the NHL Players' Association (NHLPA) remain "cautiously optimistic" that all issues will be resolved and players will compete. We shall see.