The International Ice Hockey Federation has confirmed that the ice used in two venues for the upcoming Milan Olympics will not be built to NHL specifications, but said it does not expect the smaller ice to have any impact on NHL players participating in the men’s tournament.
IIHF approves construction of a 60 m x 26 m (196.85 ft x 85.3 ft) ice block in Milan, Competitor As reported last week, the dimensions are more than three feet shorter and just a few inches wider than the 200 feet by 85 feet (60.96 meters by 25.91 meters) required by NHL rules.
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News of the discrepancy surprised NHL and NHL Players Association officials. Last summer, they signed an Olympic deal requiring the use of NHL-sized ice for games Feb. 11-22. Both the NHL and NHLPA said they had to look into the issue last week.
In an IIHF statement released on Monday, the sport’s governing body said everyone agreed on the specifications that will be used at the Santagiulia Arena and Milan Rho Fiera exhibition center.
“All involved at the IIHF, organizing committee, NHL, NHLPA, IOC and relevant venue authorities agree that the differences in rink specifications are insignificant and should not affect the safety or quality of the competition,” the statement read. “We look forward to welcoming the best players in the world for a pinnacle showdown at the Olympics.”
The IIHF added that the same size will be used for the 2022 Beijing Olympics, but without NHL players. It also noted that the recent Global Series games between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators at Avic Stadium in Stockholm had the same ice size.
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As concerns grow about Milan’s venue readiness, the NHL recently sent staff to help oversee the project, league sources said. One of the tasks they were involved in was ensuring that differences were mitigated by accounting for differences on smaller surfaces in the neutral zone.
Hockey Canada was aware of the smaller ice surface Milan was allowed to use and advised players on the issue during Olympic orientation camp in August.
However, multiple potential Olympians from other countries told Competitor They only found out about it last week.
Canadian star Nathan MacKinnon said he thinks the smaller surface will be noticeable when players enter the gaming environment.
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“If you had a foot less space, it could make a big difference,” McKinnon said. “If you had a foot closer in the slot, I think it could make a big difference. But it’s the same for everyone.”
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
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