What an embarrassment! They have had how long to build this rink since Milan won the bid for these Olympics?
This is an issue that goes beyond the Olympics. The NHL, theoretically, instead of playing 82 games, could have shortened the season by the 3 weeks of games they could be losing to the Olympics. It's up to the NHLPA and the players to object to being treated like cattle. If they don't object, it's presumed they accept it.Another problem is that the current NHL schedule has way too many games being played right now in order to be able to pause the season for 3 weeks for the Olympics. There are way too many injuries happening in the league right now because the players are getting fatigued from playing so many games in so little time.
NHL: Ice Needs To Be Safe
There will be a test event on January 9, assuming the rink is finished by then.![]()
Daly: NHL players won't play if Olympic ice unsafe
Bill Daly told owners that he didn't believe construction issues with the ice hockey rink were "insurmountable," but that the league's bigger concern as it gets ready to send players to the Olympics for the first time in over a decade is the ice quality.www.espn.com
I have read that they have looked at rinks in Switzerland but you have to remember other rinks can't just give a 3 week commitment, when other pro leagues in Europe are playing and they have contractual commitments with those teams, and/or other entertainers. We are not talking about one game, we are talking myriad games and practices over 3 weeks by all the teams. They probably neee multiple rinks that have no commitments and it's simply not a finger snap to arrange such a thing on very short notice.Why don`t they move the games elsewhere? There must be a finished hockey rink in Italy?
I read somewhere that, the rink needs to stand 3 games a day, plus practice time! Seriously, I don’t even think a standard NHL arena would support such a beating!I have read that they have looked at rinks in Switzerland but you have to remember other rinks can't just give a 3 week commitment, when other pro leagues in Europe are playing and they have contractual commitments with those teams, and/or other entertainers. We are not talking about one game, we are talking myriad games and practices over 3 weeks by all the teams. They probably neee multiple rinks that have no commitments and it's simply not a finger snap to arrange such a thing on very short notice.





