Milan Ice Hockey Arena Delays Could Force NHL Players on Unproven Ice

Put aside poor conditions. Currently, there’s no ice.

With NHL athletes preparing to return to the Olympics for the initial occasion in over a decade, building work on the main hockey arena for the Milan-Cortina Games is cutting it close.

Officials confirmed on Wednesday that the main test event for the 16,000-seat Santagiulia facility originally planned for December has been relocated to a smaller venue – and that no new test event has been arranged yet.

This situation raises the prospect that there might not be a game held in the main arena until the competition begins for the women's initial games at the Olympics on 5 February – one day before the inaugural event.

“It’s going to be very close to the start of the games, the timeline is very tight. However, we were aware,” Milan-Cortina local organizing committee CEO Andrea Varnier stated recently.

The competition that was supposed to test the Santagiulia playing surface 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 established inside a massive convention center on the outskirts of Milan and will host lesser games during the games.

Typically, freshly built Olympic facilities are trialled at least the year before to hosting podium competitions. And with a sizable hockey venue, it’s not only about the ice and making sure that the playing surface is prepared and secure. It’s also about testing concession stands, restrooms and all other amenities inside a brand-new modern arena.

The Santagiulia venue, which is being constructed by a private company, is scheduled to become Italy’s largest covered stadium. Following the Olympics, it’s being considered as a possible future host of the ATP Finals tennis event.

Despite the delays and worries, expensive passes are already being sold for events at the Santagiulia arena. Seats for the men's championship final on 22 February – the closing day of the Olympics – are going for as much as €1,400 (over $1,600). This exceeds the price of any other athletic competition at the Milano Cortina Games. Only passes for the opening and closing ceremonies are priced higher.

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

Men's Olympic hockey competition is scheduled to run from 11-22 February. Women's event occurs from 5-19 February.