IIHF president Luc Tardif on Olympic arena delays: ‘We’re going to have a tournament’

SAINT PAUL — Luc Tardif had some restless nights.

Significant construction delays at the main arena for the Milan Cortina Olympics have occupied a lot of his headspace, with the clock ticking down to next month’s opening ceremony.

The International Ice Hockey Federation president also expects a “fantastic tournament” when NHL players return to the Games.

Speaking ahead of the gold- and bronze-medal contests at the world junior hockey championship Monday, Tardif said that although parts of the rink might not be fully finished on time, the playing surface, practice facilities and dressing rooms will be ready when the puck drops for the men’s event Feb. 11. The women’s tournament gets going Feb. 5.

“We can be confident on that,” Tardif said at a press conference. “You’re not going to go to Milano for nothing.”

Tardif added the main arena — known as Hockey 1 — will not be “exactly” what he expected in terms of capacity, with the number of seats set at 11,800.

“That’s a little bit short,” said the executive. “But it will be a nice setup for the Olympic Games.”

The NHL, which went to five Games between 1998 and 2014, skipped the 2018 event before COVID-19 scuttled plans for 2022.

Tardif pointed out the IIHF isn’t overseeing construction — that’s up to the International Olympic Committee and local organizers — and can only do so much in terms of the timeline.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said last month in Winnipeg that the league will pull the plug on sending its players if there are any safety concerns with the ice.

Tardif will be travelling to Italy along with officials from the league and the NHL Players’ Association later this week for a test event at the venue.

“I’m confident about the quality of the infrastructure,” he said. “We would have liked to sleep much better … I think we will have a good competition, but maybe you can ask me the question after (this week).”

ATTENDANCE CONCERNS

Tardif was asked about attendance at the tournament for the games held at both Grand Casino Arena — home of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild — and the 3M Arena on the University of Minnesota campus.

The United States drew a couple of big crowds, but there were lots of empty seats for all of Canada’s games. The Americans were eliminated at the quarterfinal stage.

“We cannot forget that the geopolitics situation (makes) it not so easy,” Tardif said of the current relations between the U.S. and its northern neighbour. “I think you understand what I want to say. I don’t want to go further.”

USA Hockey executive director Pat Kelleher said the event will still draw more than 200,000 fans.

“Luc referred to some challenges that we faced outside of hockey circles,” he said. “In some games, you’d like to see a little bit bigger crowds, because the play is so good and the players deserve that, but we’re happy with it.

“We all feel it was very good. We were hoping to be great.”

LOOKING AHEAD

Kelleher said he expects non-traditional markets — a term he doesn’t like — to emerge as bidders when the U.S. next hosts the tournament in 2031.

“We have a lot of markets that are developing or newer markets,” he said. “I think we’ll certainly have some interest from some of those newer markets on potentially hosting in 2031.

“But we’ll see what makes sense and what will work.”

Canada will host the 2027 event in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta., before Finland gets the 2028 event. Quebec City and Trois-Rivières, Que., will get the call in 2029.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 5, 2026.