Construction delays may force NHLers to play on untested ice at Milan-Cortina Olympics

Andrew Dampf · The Associated Press

· Posted: Oct 15, 2025 12:33 PM EDT | Last Updated: October 15

Forget astir bladed ice. For now, there's nary ice.

With NHL players preparing to instrumentality to the Olympics for the archetypal clip successful much than a decade, operation connected the main hockey arena for the Milan-Cortina Games is going down to the wire.

Local organizers confirmed to The Associated Press connected Wednesday that the main trial lawsuit for the 16,000-seat Santagiulia arena that was scheduled for December has been moved to a smaller arena — and that nary caller trial lawsuit has been scheduled yet.

The contented raises the imaginable that determination mightiness not beryllium a crippled held successful the main arena until the puck is dropped for the women's preliminary circular contention astatine the Olympics connected Feb. 5, 1 time earlier the opening ceremony.

"It's going to beryllium precise adjacent to the commencement of the games, the timeline is precise tight. But we knew that," Milan-Cortina section organizing committee CEO Andrea Varnier said recently.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman deferred to the International Olympic Committee and International Ice Hockey Federation erstwhile asked astir the operation timeline aft the league's committee of governors gathering connected Wednesday.

"We've had a interest for the past 2 years connected the advancement of the rink — some rinks but chiefly the main 1 — but it's the IOC's responsibility," Bettman said. "We're invited guests, but they cognize of our concerns and we're expecting that they're going to marque bully connected each the promises to person a installation that is, from a competitory standpoint, archetypal class."

Bettman stressed it's not his league's lawsuit and volition stock immoderate concerns with the Players' Association if necessary.

"We are constrained successful what we tin and can't do, petition and request and if it reached a definite point, we'll person to woody with it," Bettman said. "But I'm not speculating, and we've been perpetually assured by the IOC and the IIHF that it volition beryllium OK."

Concession stands, washrooms not being tested

The lawsuit that was expected to trial the Santagiulia crystal was portion of the under-20 satellite title from Dec. 8-14. That lawsuit has been moved to the Rho Fiera hockey venue, which is being acceptable up wrong a elephantine normal centre connected Milan's outskirts and volition big secondary matches during the games.

Usually, caller Olympic venues are tested astatine slightest the twelvemonth earlier hosting medal events. And with a ample hockey arena, it's not conscionable astir the crystal and making definite that the playing aboveground is acceptable and safe. It's besides astir investigating concession stands, bathrooms and everything other wrong a brand-new modern arena.

The Santagiulia venue, which is being built by a backstage company, is slated to go Italy's largest indoor arena. After the Olympics, it's being eyed arsenic a imaginable aboriginal big of the ATP Finals tennis event.

Despite the delays and concerns, high-priced tickets are already being sold for events astatine the Santagiulia arena. Seats for the men's golden medal crippled connected Feb. 22 — the closing time of the games — are going for arsenic overmuch arsenic 1,400 euros (more than $1,600). That's much than for immoderate different sports lawsuit astatine the Milan-Cortina Games. Only tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies outgo more.

The instrumentality of NHL players astatine the Olympics was announced past February, with the world's apical hockey league allowing its players to enactment successful the Winter Games for the archetypal clip since 2014 successful Sochi.

Canada's women commencement defence of the golden medal Feb. 5 against Finland.

The Canadian men get going Feb. 12 versus the Czech Republic. In 2014, Canada bushed Sweden for gold.

Canada faces Switzerland connected Feb. 13 and concludes radical play Feb. 15 against France astatine the Santagiulia arena.

WATCH | Canada GM Doug Armstrong announces team's archetypal 6 players:

The Canadian women conscionable the Swiss connected Feb. 7 and the Czechs connected Feb. 9 successful the 5,700-seat Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena earlier capping Group A against arch rival U.S. connected Feb. 10 successful Santagiulia Arena.

Canada bushed the United States 3-2 for the golden medal successful Beijing successful 2022.

The women's quarterfinals Feb. 13-14 successful Milan are followed by the semifinals Feb. 16 and medal games Feb. 19.

The men's playoff qualification circular is Feb. 17 followed by the Feb. 18 quarterfinals, the Feb. 20 semifinals, the bronze-medal crippled connected Feb. 21 and the gold-medal crippled Feb. 22.

Canadian games volition beryllium televised precocious greeting oregon aboriginal day Eastern Time successful Canada due to the fact that of a six-hour clip difference.

The IIHF unveiled the schedules a time aft the twelve participating countries successful the men's tourney revealed the archetypal six players chosen to their respective 25-man rosters.