MILAN — Hockey, one of the premier events at the Winter Olympics and one that is welcoming NHL players back for the first time in more than a decade, will take place on ice that is shorter than NHL-regulation size.
Men's and women's games at two arenas will be played in rinks that are 60 meters long by 26 meters wide, or 196.85-by-85.3 feet. NHL dimensions are 200 by 85 feet (60.96 by 25.908 meters), so the Olympic ice will be slightly wider and more than 3 feet shorter.
The International Ice Hockey Federation approved the Milan rinks, which fit one of the governing body's standard sizes and was used by the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators for two games in Stockholm in November.
The IIHF shifted to the NHL dimenstions at the Olympics beginning in 2018 and used again in 2022. The 2026 Games in February mark the first time NHL players will be at the Olympics since 2014 in Sochi.
The IIHF on Monday confirmed the different size was in place in Milan without explaination.
''While these dimensions differ slightly from a typical NHL rink, they are consistent with IIHF regulations, match the rink size used at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games and are fully consistent with the dimensions the NHL requires as part of its Global Series Game arena specifications,'' the federation said. ''All involved, the IIHF, the Organizing Committee, NHL, NHLPA, IOC and the relevant venue authorities agree that the differences in rink specifications are insignificant, and should not impact either the safety or quality of game play.''
Olympic hockey had been played on international ice of 60 by 30 meters (196.85 by 98.4 feet) in 1998, 2006 and 2014, with a slight variation in Salt Lake City in 2002. It was played on NHL-sized ice in Vancouver in 2010 because of the existing arenas.
''It's the same for every team, and I think that's the bottom line,'' Finland men's hockey general manager Jere Lehtinen told The Associated Press. ''Our coaches, maybe it's more interesting and something you need to pay attention more.''
