Main reason why NHL could pull out of the 2026 Olympics

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has recently repeated his worries about the slow progress on the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, the planned host venue for men’s and women’s hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Construction is significantly behind schedule, and workers are rushing to finish before the Games begin in February.

According to ESPN, Bettman said at the NHL GM meetings that “work is still ongoing on the rinks and the ice conditions,” and stressed that the league has “no control” over the situation.

He explained that the responsibility lies entirely with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). Both groups continue to assure the NHL that everything will be ready on time, but as of now the main Olympic rink — Santagiulia Arena — remains unfinished.

The arena was originally expected to host a December test event, the U-20 world championship, but that tournament has already been relocated to Rho Fiera, the secondary Olympic site.

Adding to the concerns, the rink dimensions reportedly don’t match NHL standards.

Team Canada assistant coach Pete DeBoer told Sportsnet 590 The Fan that the ice sheet appears to be “three or four feet shorter” than regulation size. He admitted he isn’t sure how such a mistake could happen, noting that the rink seems “smaller, not bigger.”

This raises major questions about oversight from both the IOC and the NHL. If the Santagiulia venue isn’t finished or doesn’t meet requirements, nobody seems certain what the backup plan is.

Some reports indicate the NHL is exploring alternatives, including Turin’s Palasport Olimpico — which successfully hosted hockey during the 2006 Olympics — or even a possible temporary site in Switzerland.

There’s also the more drastic possibility of the league withdrawing from the Olympics completely.

A source told Full Press Hockey that a poorly run event could seriously affect future NHL participation, and that the league may eventually have to consider all options — including opting out entirely and leaving the IIHF and IOC to handle the tournament without NHL players.