NHL’s Concern Over Olympic Ice Hockey Venue Progress

The NHL is growing increasingly worried about the state of its ice hockey venues being constructed for the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics, which are only four months away.

The main arena, with a capacity of 16,000 seats, is nearing completion and will host the ice hockey events at the Milan-Cortina Games. However, there’s a chance that test events may not be feasible before the Olympics kick off.

Local organizers confirmed the tight deadlines for finishing the facilities, as noted by the Associated Press on Wednesday. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has expressed concerns about the rink constructions for the last couple of years.

Due to the accelerated timeline, there’s a possibility that the arenas might not be ready until just days prior to the opening ceremony, which could mean players practicing on ice that hasn’t been formally tested.

Bettman remarked, “We’ve been worried about the progress of the rinks for the past two years—both of them, but primarily the main one. We’re an invited guest at the IOC, but they’re aware of our worries, and we expect them to fulfill their commitments to provide a first-class competitive facility.”

This will mark the first occasion NHL players participate in the Olympics since the 2014 Sochi Games. Bettman mentioned that if necessary, he would bring up these concerns with the NHL Players Association, but he reiterated that this event lies outside the league’s jurisdiction. Additionally, plans to hold an event at the arena during the IIHF U20 World Championship in December have been moved to a smaller venue.

Bettman added, “We face limitations regarding what we can manage, and once it reaches a critical point, we need to address it. But I’m not making predictions; we’ve always been reassured by the IOC and the IIHF that everything is on track.”