NHL Threatens Pullout Over Milan Olympic Rink Delay
The NHL’s long-awaited return to the Olympics suddenly has a cloud hanging over it.
Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said NHL players will not attend the 2026 Games if Milan’s main rink is not completed on time.
The league has been reassured for months that the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena will be ready, but with construction delays piling up and test events relocated, frustration is rising fast.
The Olympic ice arena in Milan is still yet to be completed and now it's been shared that the ice will be smaller than an NHL rink 😳 @frank_seravalli pic.twitter.com/yxMBjffeSJ
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) December 2, 2025
Rink delays spark real concern for NHL participation
Daly told Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin that everything hinges on the venue actually being finished, adding that “if there’s no rink completed, there’s no NHL players going to the Olympics.”
The NHL has already swallowed the news that Milan’s rink will be smaller than standard NHL dimensions, but an unfinished arena is a different story.
I'm asked often, "What is actual % chance NHLers don't go to Olympics?" So I asked NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly.
— Matt Larkin (@MLarkinHockey) December 3, 2025
"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."
With stars like Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews eager for their first true best-on-best international stage, even a small risk of cancellation has players and fans on edge.
Why the NHL may rethink future Olympic involvement
While the league still expects to compete in 2026, insiders suggest this experience could reshape how the NHL approaches future Olympic cycles.
The 4 Nations Face-Off gave the league more control, more revenue potential, and zero construction headaches. If issues continue in Milan, the NHL may decide 2026 is a one-off return rather than the beginning of a new era.
Photo Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
