Construction progress on the main hockey arena for the Milan-Cortina Games is facing a critical deadline as NHL players gear up for their return to the Olympics after more than a decade. The 16,000-seat Santagiulia arena, the primary venue for hockey events, has encountered delays, prompting organizers to relocate the main test event initially set for December to a smaller arena. As of now, no alternative test event has been arranged.
This shift raises concerns that the main arena might not host any games until the women’s preliminary round competition on February 5, just a day before the opening ceremony. Despite the tight timeline, Milan-Cortina local organizing committee CEO Andrea Varnier expressed awareness of the challenging situation.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman addressed the construction timeline concerns, emphasizing that the responsibility lies with the International Olympic Committee and the International Ice Hockey Federation. While acknowledging the league’s worries over the progress of the rink, Bettman highlighted that the IOC is aware of their apprehensions and assured them of a top-notch competitive facility.
The Santagiulia ice testing, originally part of the under-20 world championship, has been relocated to the Rho Fiera hockey venue due to the arena’s construction delays. Typically, new Olympic venues undergo testing at least a year before hosting medal events. The testing process involves not just the playing surface but also the assessment of concession stands, washrooms, and other facilities within the arena.
Following the Olympics, the Santagiulia arena, constructed by a private entity, is poised to become Italy’s largest indoor venue. Despite the challenges, premium tickets are already on sale for events at the arena, with prices reaching as high as 1,400 euros for the men’s gold medal game on the closing day of the games.
The return of NHL players to the Olympics was confirmed last year, allowing the league’s top players to participate in the Winter Games for the first time since 2014. The Canadian teams are set to kick off their campaigns on different dates, with the women facing Finland on February 5 and the men starting against the Czech Republic on February 12. Canada’s matchups include games against Switzerland and France at the Santagiulia arena.
TV schedules have been finalized for the Olympic hockey events, with Canadian games broadcasted in late morning or early afternoon Eastern Time due to the time difference. The International Ice Hockey Federation released schedules following the announcement of the initial six players selected for each participating country’s roster.
The anticipation for the return of NHL players to the Olympics is high, and fans are eagerly awaiting the action-packed events scheduled at the Milan-Cortina Games.