The ice hockey boards at Milan’s Santa Giulia Stadium will have a different look for the remainder of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The International Ice Hockey Federation will change the color of the ice along the rink to a lighter color after receiving feedback from teams and national federations on the matter, ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reports.
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While the IIHF typically cleans the boards of dents, scuffs and other scuffs mid-game, the change was made in response to concerns that the dark turquoise color was different from the color commonly seen throughout Europe and on NHL professional circuits.
In particular, the problem is that the darker color makes it difficult to track the puck as it travels along the board or even above it. Signs in NHL and European professional hockey arenas are often white, even if they are covered with banner advertising.
The Milan Cortina tournament also saw several unexpected long-range goals, in addition to aerial shots or close-range shots with odd bounces. One of the most notable was U.S. goaltender Jeremy Swayman, who allowed Denmark’s Nick Jensen to take a shot at center ice in the first period. Swayman appeared to be out of sight as the puck left Jansen’s stick.
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Swayman also missed another fumble in the second quarter on a shot that he didn’t appear to see, but that shot was likely screened by teammate JT Miller.
After the U.S. beat Denmark 6-3, Swayman told reporters he couldn’t track Janssen’s shot, which was “the perfect height, right between the stands and the backboard.”
When asked if he dropped the ball because of the blackboard, Swayman joked: “I’m color blind, so it doesn’t really matter to me.”
Teammate Jack Eichel defended Swayman, saying he lost the puck under the lights during the game. But if there are other such complaints, this is clearly not a change the IIHF is considering.
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Swayman didn’t use the board color as an excuse, however.
“It’s something we all have to deal with, we play every night in a different arena in the NHL,” he said. “So it’s just another, another, challenge that we have to accept,” Swayman said.
According to The Athletic, Milan’s board of directors work begins immediately after Monday’s women’s ice hockey game between Canada and Switzerland.
