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NHL Warns Players Could Skip 2026 Olympic Hockey Over Ice Concerns as IIHF Confirms Smaller Rink

Construction at Milan's new arena leaves no time for test events before the tournament.

Overview

  • Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said NHL players will not take the ice if it is deemed unsafe, even as he described recent readiness reports as generally positive.
  • IIHF confirmed the Olympic rink at Milan’s Santa Giulia will be 60 by 26 meters, a size it says complies with IIHF rules, matches Beijing 2022, and meets NHL Global Series criteria.
  • Associated Press reported the new arena’s completion is projected for three days before the women’s tournament on February 5, with planned test games canceled or moved.
  • Gary Bettman voiced concern that athletes could be asked to play on untested ice because of the compressed timeline.
  • KHL president Alexey Morozov called the plan to flood the ice only days before competition strange and warned about potential ice-quality and player-safety issues.