The NHL is facing a huge season as its top players will participate in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy in addition to its 82-game schedule and Stanley Cup playoffs. NHL players have been fighting for the right to play in the Olympics for years, and while commissioner Gary Bettman and the league's management have approved the plan, a potential problem has been revealed.
The hockey arena in Milan is not completed yet and it may be a close call for the building to be finished by the time the competition starts. Bettman said there is no Plan B for the Olympic hockey competition if there are problems in completing the arena or testing the ice.
“We've had a concern for the last two years on the progress of the rink,” the commissioner said after the NHL Board of Governors meeting.
There have been multiple questions about Bettman's future as the league's leader. The NHL has made multiple advances in television revenue and league-player relations in recent seasons. There have been thoughts that Bettman may decide to leave his position in the near future, but he announced that is not the cases.
“I’m here, and I’m not planning on going anywhere for a while. And I don’t know what a while is,” he said.
Expansion does not appear to be on the table
The 32-team NHL is often the subject of expansion rumors and the league appeared to commit to Arizona once the Coyotes left that state and moved to Utah following the 2023-24 season. Other cities, including Houston, Atlanta and Quebec City have been mentioned as potential sites for new NHL teams.
However, expansion was not a top that was brought up at the Board of Governors meeting and it doesn't appear to be anything that Bettman is interested in pursuing.
“Nothing. No updates,” said Bettman. “We didn’t even discuss it today. There is, and continues to be, interest from lots of places. But none of it has reached the level that we need to focus on at this point.”
