Milan Hockey Venue Delays Could Force NHL Stars on Unproven Playing Surface

Forget about thin ice. Currently, the surface isn't ready.

With NHL athletes gearing up to return to the Olympic Games for the initial occasion in over a ten years, construction on the primary hockey venue for the Milan-Cortina Games is cutting it close.

Officials announced on Wednesday that the primary test event for the 16,000-seat Santagiulia arena that was scheduled for December has been moved to a more compact arena – and that no additional trial has been scheduled yet.

The issue creates the possibility that there might not be a game held in the main arena until the puck is dropped for the women's initial games at the Olympics on 5 February – one day before the inaugural event.

“The timeline will be extremely tight to the beginning of the games, the schedule is highly compressed. However, we were aware,” Milano Cortina local organizing committee CEO Andrea Varnier stated recently.

The competition that was supposed to evaluate the Santagiulia ice was part of the under-20 world championship from 8-14 December. This tournament has been moved to the Rho Fiera hockey venue, which is being set up inside a giant exhibition hall on the outskirts of Milan and will host secondary matches during the Olympics.

Usually, new Olympic venues are tested at least the prior year to holding podium competitions. And with a large hockey venue, it’s not only about the ice and ensuring that the playing surface is prepared and safe. It’s also about checking food outlets, restrooms and all other amenities inside a newly constructed contemporary arena.

This new facility, which is being constructed by a commercial firm, is scheduled to become Italy’s biggest covered stadium. Following the Olympics, it’s being eyed as a possible upcoming venue of the ATP Tour Finals tennis event.

In spite of the postponements and worries, high-priced passes are already being sold for events at the Santagiulia venue. Seats for the men's championship game on 22 February – the closing day of the Olympics – are going for as much as €1,400 (more than $1,600). That’s more than the price of any other sports event at the Milano Cortina Games. Solely passes for the inaugural and final events are priced higher.

The return of NHL stars at the Olympics was announced in February of last year, with the premier hockey organization permitting its players to participate in the Winter Games for the first time since 2014 in Sochi.

Men's Olympic hockey tournament is scheduled to take place from 11-22 February. Women's event occurs from 5-19 February.