The main hockey stadium for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan is still not ready. However, this is not the only thing that causes embarrassment about the tournament with the participation of overseas NHL stars. The unusual dimensions of the playground are also discussed a lot.
When the NHL players gathered under the five rings for the last time, in Sochi 2014, they played on a classic “airport”, ice 60 meters long and 30 meters wide.
They suddenly had a lot more space, because in the North American league all rinks measure 60.96 and 25.91 meters (200 and 85 feet in imperial units).
However, there will be less space in Milan next February. Both Olympic halls for ice hockey will offer ice about a meter shorter than overseas, while practically the same width, namely 60 x 26 meters.
Although Canadian Olympic team general manager Doug Armstrong has been talking publicly about less ice since September, it’s now a surprise to many.
“I’m a bit shocked by it,” admitted the already nominated German representative Nico Sturm to The Athletic online newspaper. “It’s just a random size. They should have stuck to either Olympic size or NHL size. Now it’s neither.”
“I think it will suit my game, I like to approach my opponents quickly,” continued the defensive-minded striker. “But guys who want more space won’t like it too much. And guys who play in Europe most of the year will have a hard time.”
Yes, players from European “airports” will probably have a hard time getting used to it. But for NHL stars, a rink that is a meter shorter than the overseas standard may seem like banality.
However, Canadian forward Jonathan Drouin pointed out that this is a significant difference. Especially greats like Nathan MacKinnon are said to “need every centimeter of ice to be able to show off their tricks”.
“If you have one step less space, it can make a big difference,” confirmed MacKinnon himself. “But it’s the same for everyone. Sure, it changes the situation, but who cares?”
After all, the main thing is the first participation of the NHL under five rings after 12 long years.
“Mac’s” Czech sidekick from Colorado’s elite line, Martin Nečas, doesn’t deal with a cut-down rink at all. “It’s nothing major,” he started. “I think it’s better that it’s smaller than if it’s bigger. I think it’s going to be even better for the fans that way. It’s going to be really fast at a really high pace. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Although the departure from 200 by 85 feet is a violation of the agreement between the NHL, its players’ union NHLPA and the IIHF, the overseas league has not raised any major objections.
Neither does anyone else. “All parties involved, the IIHF, the Organizing Committee, the NHL, the NHLPA, the International Olympic Committee and the relevant venue authorities, agree that the differences in rink specifications are negligible and should not affect the safety or quality of play,” the IIHF said in a statement.
The federation also noted that ice with dimensions of 60 x 26 meters was already played at the Beijing 2022 Olympics.
But then the NHL stars stayed across the ocean. And before that, the standard was a 30-meter-wide ice rink. The only notable exception was the 2010 Games in Vancouver, Canada, where the field was exactly like the NHL, with dimensions that the North American competition would want in all future Olympics.
