NHL's Bill Daly Sends Warning About Olympic Ice Update

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly made a statement to the media following the NHL board of governors meetings on Dec. 8 — he said if the league's players feel the quality of the ice at the Olympics in Milan is a safety risk, "then we're not going to play."

"It's as simple as that," Daly went on to say to the media.

However, Daly did also elaborate that he did not necessarily believe the recent construction issues surrounding the Olympic ice hockey rink were "insurmountable."

Feb 12, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] NHL commissioner Gary Bettman addresses the press beside NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly before a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images | David Kirouac-Imagn Images

The Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in now scheduled for completion on Feb. 2, which is just days before play is supposed to start for the upcoming 2026 Milano-Cortino Olympics. The women's hockey tournament begins three days after that date, and the men's tournament begins on Feb. 11 — welcoming back various NHL players back to the Olympics for the first time in over a decade.

NHL to Remain in Olympics Despite Construction Window Closing

Breakaway On SI also previously reported that the IIHF also recently approved a 196.85-foot by 85.3-foot sheet of ice for the new 15,000 seat venue being built just outside of Milan, which is more than three feet shorter than the NHL's standard 200-foot by 85-foot dimensions.

Per ESPN's Emily Kaplan, her original report noted that Daly has still cited his willingness to assist in the upcoming Olympic efforts and that the current obstacles are not "insurmountable."

Latest Olympic rink update

-Arena scheduled for completion Feb 2… days before the Games

-NHL optimistic about progress, still concerned about ice

-“If the players feel the ice is unsafe to play, then we're not going to play.”

-No contingency plan yet https://t.co/Xsdm4RXYWF
— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) December 9, 2025

"We have offered and they're utilizing our ice experts and technicians and outside providers," Daly said. "We're basically moving everybody there to try to help get this done in a way that's acceptable for NHL athletes. And I'm cautiously optimistic it will be fruitful."

The United Stated previously announced its first six players for the Games in Milan back in June, including forwards Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews, Brady Tkachuk, Matthew Tkachuk and defensemen Quinn Hughes and Charlie McAvoy. Team Canada's roster currently consists of forwards Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Brayden Point, Sam Reinhart and defenseman Cale Maker. An official announcement surrounding finalized rosters is to be made in early January.

Preliminary rosters were set on June 16 and the roster deadline for the 12 countries playing men's hockey at the 2026 Milan Olympics is Dec. 31.

The NHL will go dark for a two-week period during the Games. There is currently no backup plan for Olympic organizers to hold the hockey tournament to elsewhere if the rink at the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena is not ready.

"There is no Plan B," Andrea Francisi, the chief Games operations officer for Milan-Cortina, previously said. "So necessarily we have to be able to organize the competition in an impeccable manner at Santagiulia."

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