NHL Returns to Olympics Amid Venue Delays

NHL players are set to return to the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy, next February for the first time since 2014, but uncertainty looms over the main hockey venue's readiness due to ongoing construction delays.

The Sant'Giulia Ice Hockey Arena, a new 16,000-seat facility on the outskirts of Milan, is behind schedule, forcing organizers to postpone a planned test event. The next opportunity to assess the venue comes during trial competitions scheduled for January 9 to 11. Without a contingency plan in place, officials emphasized the need for the arena to be fully operational for the games. "There is no plan B," said Andrea Francisi, chief games operations officer for the Milan-Cortina organizing committee. "So necessarily we have to be able to organize the competition in an impeccable manner at Sant'Giulia."

The women's hockey tournament is slated to begin with a preliminary round match on February 5, one day before the opening ceremony, while the men's event runs from February 11 to 22. Typically, new Olympic venues undergo testing at least a year in advance to ensure the ice surface, safety features, and ancillary facilities like concessions and restrooms meet...