Concerns Over Milan’s Olympic Hockey Arena Construction

St. Paul, Minn. — Team USA is not overly concerned about the ongoing construction at Milan’s Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena, the primary venue for next month’s Olympic men’s hockey tournament. In fact, general manager Bill Guerin isn’t worried at all.

“We still have a month, five weeks. That’s a long time,” Guerin mentioned in an interview while traveling to a game. “I’m not worried. I really don’t think it’s an issue. We’re all aligned on this. So I believe it’s something we shouldn’t dwell on.”

During a recent test event at the arena, a match between two Italian teams was temporarily stopped due to a hole in the ice, which was patched up using a watering can. Chris Johnston from The Athletic, present at the event, reported issues with “multiple large holes” around the outside of the building contributing to the ice’s instability.

While the NHL likely isn’t thrilled about these problems, many still believe that the tournament will happen as planned, regardless of the hurdles.

When asked if he had received any updates about the test event, Guerin responded, “I haven’t heard anything. Honestly, I’m not worried. There’s nothing I can do. I might have some handy skills, but not enough to jump in and help. I trust that they will address everything.”

Johnston also noted that the construction delays have left only three of the 14 planned locker rooms nearly finished, and the practice rink still does not have usable ice. Additionally, the arena’s seating capacity has been cut from 14,000 to likely about 11,800 due to time constraints on various sections. The rink dimensions are also smaller than NHL standards.

Wild coach John Hynes, who also serves as an assistant coach for Team USA, shared his confidence: “Being part of this, I have an understanding of what might unfold. I trust that the NHL and IIHF will ensure everything is handled properly. I’m optimistic that everything will align for the Olympics.”

Regarding the test match, he expressed that it was beneficial to identify issues early. “They know what to fix. Sure, there’s work ahead, but I’m confident it’ll be done right.”

Players involved in the test event had a positive outlook as well. Florian Wieser from SV Kaltan/Caldaro mentioned, “It’s still a work in progress, but the ice was pretty okay. I talked to the Zamboni driver, and he reassured me it will improve. It may not be perfect now, but I’m optimistic for when the NHL players come.”

Dan Moffat, the ice master associated with Milan Hockey and the Colorado Avalanche, reassured reporters that the issues from Friday’s game were usual for new ice. “Cracks can occur the first time the ice is skated on. Resurfacing can also lead to some cracks,” he explained. “We only encountered one small hole, which we filled quickly. These are minor details and part of the normal process, so we’re pleased with it.”