🔗 Share this article

Put aside thin ice. For now, the surface isn't ready.

As NHL athletes preparing to return to the Olympic Games for the initial occasion in over a decade, building work on the main hockey venue for the Milano Cortina Games is cutting it close.

Local organizers confirmed on Wednesday that the primary trial competition for the 16,000-seat Santagiulia arena originally planned for December has been relocated to a smaller venue – and that no additional trial has been scheduled yet.

The issue creates the possibility that there might not be a match held in the primary venue until the puck is dropped for the women's initial games at the Olympics on 5 February – one day before the opening ceremony.

“It’s going to be extremely tight to the beginning of the games, the schedule is very tight. However, we were aware,” Milan-Cortina organizing body CEO Andrea Varnier stated recently.

The competition that was supposed to test the Santagiulia playing surface was part of the U20 world championship from 8-14 December. That event has been transferred to the Rho Fair hockey venue, which is being set up inside a massive exhibition hall on Milan’s outskirts and will host secondary matches during the games.

Usually, freshly built Olympic facilities are trialled at least the year before to hosting podium competitions. And with a sizable hockey venue, it’s not only about the playing surface and ensuring that the rink is prepared and safe. It’s additionally about testing concession stands, bathrooms and all other amenities inside a brand-new contemporary arena.

The Santagiulia venue, which is being constructed by a private company, is scheduled to become Italy’s biggest covered stadium. For after the Olympics, it’s being eyed as a potential upcoming venue of the ATP Finals tennis tournament.

Despite the postponements and concerns, expensive passes are already being purchased for events at the Santagiulia arena. Tickets for the men's championship game on 22 February – the final day of the games – are priced at as much as €1,400 (more than $1,600). This exceeds for any other athletic competition at the Milano Cortina Games. Only tickets for the inaugural and final events cost more.

The comeback of NHL players at the Olympics was announced last February, with the world’s top hockey organization allowing its players to participate in the Winter Olympics for the initial occasion since 2014 in Sochi.

Men's Olympic hockey tournament is scheduled to take place from 11-22 February. Women's tournament runs from 5-19 February.