NHL Players Express Concerns Over Olympic Ice Safety

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly emphasized that player safety is paramount regarding the ice conditions for the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. He stated, "If the players feel the ice is unsafe to play, then we're not going to play" (ESPN).

The Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena, set to be completed just three days before the women's tournament begins on February 5, has raised concerns. Daly noted that the rink will be about three feet shorter than standard NHL dimensions, measuring 196.85 feet by 85.3 feet, which was acknowledged by the IIHF (Daily Faceoff).

Despite these dimensions, the IIHF claimed they would not affect the safety or quality of gameplay, stating the differences are insignificant (Russian Machine Never Breaks). Daly revealed that some players had previously played on similar-sized rinks without issue, but the NHL and NHLPA have insisted that future Olympic rinks meet NHL specifications.

With the first men's game scheduled for February 11, there's limited time to assess the ice's durability under the tournament's demanding schedule, which includes multiple games daily (Daily Faceoff). The NHL has offered its ice experts to assist in ensuring the arena meets safety standards, and Daly expressed cautious optimism about the construction timeline, although he acknowledged the lack of a contingency plan if the ice is deemed unsafe (ESPN).