The ice surface for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics hockey tournament will be smaller than NHL rinks, measuring 196.85 feet by 85.3 feet, sparking safety concerns among league officials. Construction at the Santagiulia Arena remains ongoing with less than three months until the opening ceremony, and there is no backup venue planned. Coaches and executives have expressed confusion over the dimensions, which deviate from prior agreements.
The International Ice Hockey Federation has approved an ice surface of 60 meters by 26 meters (196.85 feet by 85.3 feet) for the Santagiulia Arena in Milan, according to a source familiar with the decision. This makes the rink more than three feet shorter than the NHL's required 200 feet by 85 feet (60.96 meters by 25.91 meters), with only a slight increase in width. The agreement for NHL participation in the Olympics specified surfaces matching league dimensions, but the NHL was not previously aware of this change and is now investigating, per sources. The NHL Players’ Association stated it is “looking into the matter.”
Team Canada assistant coach Pete DeBoer, who visited Milan earlier this fall, highlighted the issue in an interview on Fan 590, saying, “I don’t understand how that happened.” He added on Sportsnet's "Real Kyper and Bourne" show: "The ice surface, it looks like it's going to be smaller than NHL rink standard by probably 3 or 4 feet... I don't believe it's a huge difference. But I believe there is a difference, and it's on the smaller, not the bigger side."
U.S. men’s Olympic team general manager Bill Guerin raised safety worries, referencing the intense play at the 4 Nations Face-Off: “If we learned anything from the 4 Nations, it was like, I don’t want to say mistake-free hockey, but the checking, there was no room.” The smaller surface could limit maneuvering space in a high-speed game.
The 16,000-seat Santagiulia Arena, set to host 33 games including both gold-medal finals, faces ongoing construction delays. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman voiced concerns as early as December 2023, and an August tour revealed incomplete infrastructure, including no roads or practice facility groundwork. A planned December test event was postponed to January 9-11. Despite speculation, a mid-November meeting in Stockholm with IOC, IIHF, and NHL representatives confirmed no Plan B venue, such as in Switzerland. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly noted on November 19: “It appears that positive forward progress is being made with respect to the necessary hockey-related facilities in Milan.” The IOC maintains the arena is on track for mid-December completion.
The women’s tournament begins February 5 with Italy vs. France, followed by the men’s from February 11 to 22. Countries must submit 25-player rosters by December 31, aware of the unique dimensions.
