Milan Olympic ice venue delays raise concerns as rink size falls below NHL standards

After years away from the Olympic Games, the National Hockey League announced their return to the international stage ahead of the 2026 Games, set to take place in Milan, Italy.

Following the success of the Four Nations, optimism around the hockey world was high for this tournament, as true best-on-best international action was set to take place for the first time since the 2014 Games.

However, leading up to the games, there has been speculation over the arena that's set to be used for hockey, with some fearing that the arena isn't going to be completed in time for February's event.

On top of that, there is no backup plan either, and with the games just a few months away, there's plenty of worry that after all this buildup, there may be no place to play hockey.

That's not the only concern either, as NHL Insider Frank Seravalli recently reported that the rink in Milan could be smaller than the one's we see in the NHL, the complete opposite of what history tells us, that the Olympic rinks are much, much bigger in size.

All of this has the NHL, Gary Bettman and the IIHF worried about what this will do for a best-on-best tournament, and given all the hype leading into the event, the disappointment would be immense if this didn't go well.

Ultimately, there's still time for all of this to be fixed ahead of the games, but with Canada, Sweden, the United States and other powerhouses getting ready to send their best, if it does go ahead, it should be must-see for any hockey fan.