Milan rink uncertainty grows as Olympics creeps closer
Hockey fans have been thrilled by the concept of NHL players finally returning to Olympic competition in Milan in 2026 since it became clear it was a strong possibility.
The last time NHL players partook in the Games was in 2014, when Canada defeated Sweden to claim its second gold medal in a row after beating the Americans in 2010.
But lately, recent developments around the infrastructure have provided some old water for the excitement. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told Daily Faceoff‘s Matt Larkin that the actual probability of the NHL not going is tied to the possibility of the arena not being completed, a possibility that lingers with construction behind schedule.
I'm asked often, "What is actual % chance NHLers don't go to Olympics?" So I asked NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly. "Depends on % you want to place on the possibility the rink doesn’t get completed. If there’s no rink completed, there’s no NHL players going to the Olympics."
It was also known that the rink would be NHL-sized and not international-sized, but that won’t even be the case. The actual rink will be a few feet shorter than an NHL surface, something that could impact roster-building decisions.
On Thursday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, host Tyler Yaremchuk and co-host and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton discussed both the intrigue around the smaller rink and the concern around whether or not the construction of the arena can be completed in time.
Tyler Yaremchuk: Speaking of that Olympic break, Hutts, oh man… Put me in the corner of feeling uneasy about the 2026 Winter Olympics and NHL player participation. There’s a few things that have popped up over the last few days. The rink that they’re going to play these games on, it was originally supposed to be built to NHL specifications. They weren’t doing the Olympic sized ice this year in Milan. Well, turns out the rink is going to be three or four feet shorter, and this isn’t a surprise to the NHL… they’ve known about this for a handful of months, it’s just coming to a bit more light right now.
Carter Hutton: The size of the rink is very important when it comes to playing hockey at this level. And something even from a goalie’s standpoint, where those three feet that they lose goes into play, it changes the whole game. It changes the depth you have… It almost makes it unsafe for players at times because they’re so used to playing a certain way.
You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode here…