“If The Players Feel…” – Bill Daly Puts 2026 Winter Olympics In NHL Players’ Hands Amid Concers Over Ice Size

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina might welcome back NHL stars, but only if the ice checks out first. As of this week, concerns around the arena intended for Olympic hockey have many in the league uneasy about what quite possibly could be a hard “no” from its players. And according to Bill Daly, that decision will be theirs alone.

Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan is the primary venue set to host Olympic hockey. The problem is the size and the timing. The rink is scheduled to be completed by February 2, just three days before the women’s hockey tournament begins. That razor-thin window has raised concerns about whether the ice can be properly prepared, tested, and brought up to elite playing standards in time.

Players have also expressed concern about the shorter playing sur