With just a few months left for the 2026 Milano-Cortina, threats of derailing the NHL stage have emerged. And the blame is all on the construction delays. There are heavy concerns over the main ice rink’s readiness by the time of the Winter Olympics. And the National Hockey League has begun to put forth queries. The window to test the facility is closing, and players could find themselves forced to compete on unvetted ice. And now, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has also expressed his concerns. 

Following the Board of Governors meeting, the NHL commissioner reacted to reports of a test event scheduled for the Milano Santagiulia arena. It’s a 16,000-seat main Olympic hockey arena. However, amid the construction delays, the test events will no longer be held there. The arena might open up to the Winter Olympic games directly, for the first event at the venue. This forced Bettman to call out the International Olympic Committee.  

Bettman stated, “We’ve had a concern for the last two years on the progress of the rink — both rinks, but mainly the main one — but it’s the IOC’s responsibility. We’re invited guests, but they know of our concerns, and we’re expecting that they’re going to make good on all the promises to have a facility that is, from a competitive standpoint, first class.” 

So, does that mean there’s a contingency plan in formulation, in case the construction delays force the venue to stay shut for the Winter Olympics? Well, the NHL commissioner deferred the question. He said, “You’d better talk to the IOC. It’s not our issue.” The NHL doesn’t really have the power over such things. Nevertheless, the IOC and the IIHF constantly assured the league that things would turn out okay. 

With NHL players preparing to return to the Olympics after more than a decade, the issue of untested ice raised concerns among the players and authorities.

The NHL is returning to the Olympics after a hiatus of more than a decade

The last time the league’s stars laced up their skates under the five rings was at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, when Team Canada, led by Sidney Crosby, captured gold. Since then, fans have been deprived of seeing the sport’s best compete for national glory. The NHL opted out of both PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022, citing concerns over scheduling, injury risk, and disputes with the IOC over player insurance and promotion rights. 

This means that Cortina 2026 will welcome the NHL back into the Olympic Games after more than a decade’s absence. That’s what makes the current situation so frustrating for the league and its players. After years of negotiations, planning, and anticipation, a venue issue now threatens to overshadow the sport’s triumphant Olympic comeback. For the NHL, the stakes are far higher than a gold medal. It’s about reclaiming hockey’s place at the heart of the Winter Games and delivering the showdown fans have been waiting for more than 10 years to see.