NEW YORK — Sometimes, the problem that is out of your control presents more difficulties than the one you caused yourself.
In the case of the National Hockey League and the upcoming Milano-Cortina Winter Olympic Games, news that the arena in Milan may not be ready on time landed with a thud, just as the NHL held its Board of Governors meeting Wednesday in New York.
“We’ve had a concern for the last two years on the progress of the rink — both rinks, but mainly the main one,†said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.
Local organizers confirmed to the Associated Press on Wednesday that the primary test event scheduled for December at the 16,000-seat Santagiulia arena — the under-20 world championship from Dec. 8-14 — has been moved to a smaller rink, and that no new test event has been scheduled.
It seems possible at this point that the first hockey game played in the new Olympic arena will be the first game of the Olympic tournament.
“Itâ€s going to be very close to the start of the games, the timeline is very tight. But we knew that,†Milano-Cortina local organizing committee CEO Andrea Varnier said recently, according to the AP.
What will the NHL do if the arena isnâ€t ready on time?
“It’s the IOC’s responsibility,†said Bettman, referencing the International Olympic Committee. “We’re invited guests, but they know of our concerns and we’re expecting that they’re going to make good on all the promises to have a facility that is, from a competitive standpoint, first-class.â€
Does the NHL have a contingency plan?
“You’d better talk to the IOC,†directed Bettman. “It’s not our issue.â€
It will become the leagueâ€s issues, however, if the ice presents a safety concern. The NHL and the players†association will not be enamoured with placing the lionâ€s share of their best players at risk for an Olympic committee that can not provide a safe surface on which to play.
“If we have concerns, we’ll express them,†Bettman said on Wednesday in New York. “We are constrained in what we can and can’t do, request and demand, and if it reaches a certain point we’ll have to deal with it. But I’m not speculating, and we’ve been constantly assured by the IOC and the IIHF that it will be ok.
“Obviously the Players’ Association will share our concerns if there are any that are necessary.â€
The U-20 tournament has been moved to the Rho Fiera hockey arena, which was built inside a giant convention centre on Milanâ€s outskirts. That venue will host secondary matches during the games. When complete, the Santagiulia venue will be Italyâ€s largest indoor arena.
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The governors talked about the NHLâ€s international schedule, as part of a meeting that Bettman termed “nuts and bolts,†covering issues like hockey operations, an officiating update, a safety and security update and the topic of facilities standards.
Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said plans for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey are on schedule.
“We’ve had constructive conversations with the IIHF recently. We would hope that, if anything, we will be done by the end of the month, hopefully,†he said.
Daly said the NHL held workshops in Toronto and Zurich in recent weeks, and garnered much interest from potential host cities.
“We’re expecting 18 bids in in North America, 10 bids in in Europe, and we expect to be in a position to evaluate those bids at the end of this year, beginning of next year, and make decisions in February,†hew said.
Between the Olympics, a pending World Cup and the annual Global Series, the governors are in constant discussion over where the NHL should bring its game to next.
The fact that the gameâ€s best player and the NHLâ€s best European player — Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl — have not played a game outside North America in their NHL career seems like something that should be remedied.
“It’s sort of at some point inevitable that that’ll happen,†said Edmonton Oilers President Jeff Jackson. “But nothing’s planned at this point.â€
Asked about that, Bettman had “Nothing Iâ€m prepared to announce.â€
“We’re focused on what we can be doing more outside of North America to continue to grow the game on a worldwide basis,†he said. “That’s becoming an increasing focus and priority for us, because we believe we’re the most international — certainly in our player composition — of the four major sports in North America.â€
No news is good news on the expansion and salary cap fronts.
Bettman claimed expansion was not even discussed on Wednesday, despite stated interest from two groups in Atlanta and bubbling interest for a return to Phoenix.
“There is, and continues to be, interest from lots of places. But none of it has reached the level that we need to focus on at this point,†he said.
Will that door open in time for the next meetings in December?
“It’s not a door that we open. If somebody knocks on the door, we’ll peek around to see who’s knocking and then decide what to do with it,†he said.
On the salary cap, Bettman would not stray from previously announced numbers of an increase to $104 million for next season, and $113.5 million in 2027-28.
“Thereâ€s no change. It is what weâ€ve already agreed to.â€
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