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International Hockey Federation president Luc Tardif expects a “fantastic tournament” when NHL players return to the Olympics next month, despite some significant delays in the main arena's construction.
Speaking ahead of the gold and bronze medal games at the IIHF World Junior Championships on Monday, Tardif added that while some parts of the rink may not be fully completed in time, the playing surface, practice areas and locker rooms will be ready when the puck drops for the men's competition at the Cortina Games in Milan on February 11.
The women's tournament will begin even earlier, on February 5.
Tardif added that the arena, known as Hockey 1, will not be “exactly” what he expected in terms of capacity, with the number of seats set at 11,800. The NHL last competed in the Olympics in 2014.
The 2026 Winter Olympics begin in February, but the hockey rink where the medals will be played is still under construction. NHL officials said they would withdraw their players from the Olympics if the ice was found to be unsafe.
The IIHF chief said he will travel to Italy later this week with representatives from the NHL and the NHL Players' Association to conduct test events at the stadium.
NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said last month that the league would stop sending its players if there were any safety issues on the ice.
