Overview
- After a three-day test event in Milan, the NHL and NHLPA said the trial provided useful insight and that they will continue advising organizers as work continues.
- IIHF president Luc Tardif said there is no reason NHL players will not come, and IOC executive Christophe Dubi praised recent progress at the venue.
- Seven Italian Cup games were staged, with an early hole in the ice repaired and subsequent matches reported to have smoother play through multiple games per day.
- Non-playing areas remain incomplete, including locker rooms and hospitality spaces, and sellable capacity has been set at about 11,800 with some fan amenities reduced.
- The rink is a few feet shorter than NHL standard but within IIHF rules, and the league has dispatched ice experts, including Don Moffatt, as the women’s event opens Feb. 5 and the men’s tournament runs Feb. 11–22.