Milan Ice Hockey Venue Setbacks Could Force NHL Players on Unproven Playing Surface

Put aside poor conditions. For now, the surface isn't ready.

With NHL athletes preparing to make a comeback to the Olympic Games for the initial occasion in more than a decade, construction on the primary hockey venue for the Milan-Cortina Games is cutting it close.

Local organizers announced on Wednesday that the primary test event for the 16,000-capacity Santagiulia arena originally planned for December has been relocated to a more compact arena – and that no additional trial has been arranged yet.

This situation creates the possibility that there may not be a match held in the main arena until the competition begins for the women’s preliminary round at the Olympics on 5 February – 24 hours before the inaugural event.

“The timeline will be extremely tight to the start of the games, the schedule is highly compressed. But we knew that,” Milano Cortina organizing body CEO Andrea Varnier stated in a recent update.

The competition that was intended to test the Santagiulia ice was a segment of the under-20 world championship from 8-14 December. This tournament has been moved to the Rho Fair hockey venue, which is being set up inside a giant convention center on Milan’s outskirts and will stage secondary matches during the games.

Usually, new Olympic venues are tested at least the year before to holding medal events. And with a large hockey arena, it’s not just about the playing surface and making sure that the rink is prepared and secure. It’s additionally about testing concession stands, restrooms and all other amenities inside a brand-new modern arena.

This new facility, which is being constructed by a commercial firm, is slated to become the nation's biggest indoor arena. Following the Olympics, it’s being eyed as a potential upcoming venue of the ATP Tour Finals tennis tournament.

Despite the delays and concerns, high-priced tickets are already being purchased for matches at the Santagiulia venue. Tickets for the men’s gold medal final on 22 February – the closing day of the Olympics – are going for as much as €1,400 (over $1,600). That’s more than for any other sports event at the Milano Cortina Games. Solely tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies are priced higher.

The return of NHL players at the Olympics was revealed in February of last year, with the world’s top hockey league allowing its athletes to compete in the Winter Games for the initial occasion since 2014 in Sochi.

Men's Olympic hockey tournament is scheduled to take place from 11-22 February. The women’s tournament runs from 5-19 February.