Overview
- Less than 90 days before the 2026 Winter Games, work continues on Milan’s PalaItalia Santa Giulia, the main Olympic hockey arena.
- A planned December test event was moved to the secondary Rho Fiera rink, raising the prospect that the first Olympic games could be played on untested ice.
- The NHL will send Derek King and Dean Matsuzaki to Italy next week to evaluate progress and report back on readiness.
- Deputy commissioner Bill Daly called the situation concerning and said the league expects a clearer picture after the site visit.
- Commissioner Gary Bettman said the NHL has no control over construction and is relying on assurances from the IOC and IIHF regarding ice quality and overall operations.