Milano Ice Hockey Arena Setbacks Could Leave NHL Stars on Untested Playing Surface

Put aside thin ice. Currently, there’s no ice.

With NHL players gearing up to return to the Olympic Games for the first time in over a decade, building work on the primary hockey arena 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 smaller arena – and that no new test event has been arranged yet.

The issue creates the possibility that there may not be a match 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 very close to the beginning of the games, the schedule is very tight. However, we were aware,” Milan-Cortina organizing body 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 transferred to the Rho Fair hockey venue, which is being established inside a massive exhibition hall on the outskirts of Milan and will stage secondary matches during the Olympics.

Typically, freshly built Olympic facilities are trialled at least the year before to holding podium competitions. And with a sizable hockey arena, it’s not only about the ice and making sure that the rink is prepared and safe. It’s additionally about testing food outlets, restrooms and all other amenities inside a newly constructed modern stadium.

This new facility, which is being constructed by a commercial firm, is scheduled to become the nation's largest covered stadium. Following the Olympics, it’s being eyed as a potential future host of the ATP Finals tennis event.

Despite the delays and concerns, expensive passes are already being sold for events at the Santagiulia venue. Seats for the men’s gold medal game on 22 February – the final day of the Olympics – are going for as much as €1,400 (over $1,600). That’s more than for any other athletic competition at the Milano Cortina Games. Solely tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies cost more.

The comeback of NHL players at the Olympics was revealed in February of last year, 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.