NHL stars to vie in Winter Olympics

MILAN, Italy (AFP) — Stars from the North American National Hockey League (NHL) will play in the Winter Olympics, the head of the International Ice Hockey Federation said on Sunday, as Milan-Cortina organizers and the International Olympic Committee gave the thumbs up to the Games' main competition rink.

Luc Tardif told reporters present at a key test event for the Santa Giulia arena in Milan that "there is no reason that NHL will not come" to the Olympics for the first time since 2014.

"Every International Federation president wants the best players in this competition so that means it's always our goal," Tardif said.

"We were a little bit worried but since a month we do feel better and after this weekend we're going to be satisfied, but then I like to sleep well and and now I will sleep well."

Officially named the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, the rink is scheduled to host 33 preliminary and knock-out games at the upcoming Olympics, which run between 6 and 22 February.

The participation of the NHL, widely considered the world's best league, was called into question as recently as last month by its deputy commissioner Bill Daly, due to concerns about the playing surface.

But Tardif hailed the quality of the rink even after a small hole caused a short stoppage during the test event's first match on Friday night.

Milan-Cortina CEO Andrea Varnier said that player reaction to the rink was "very positive," and Tardif said it held up well to the three matches played on it on Saturday.

"Yesterday (Saturday) that was really the test because you know there is not a lot of competition where you've got three games in a day," Tardif said. 

"We know how it's difficult to have a high level of quality of ice for the third game in the third period.” 

"Yesterday was a good test because that was fantastic, the puck was sliding and not bumping."

Christophe Dubi, the International Olympic Committee's Olympic Games Executive Director, was positive even though he admitted decoration will likely not be complete for the start of the women's tournament on 5 February.

The puck drops for the men's tournament, when the NHL players will take to the ice, on 11 February.

"This venue I've visited, I don't know, 25 times maybe... The last time I came was before Christmas and this is radically different. So, so much progress. Anyone involved here, hats off," Dubi said.

"I expect a number of areas where painting might not be fully dry, but nothing that would prevent anyone to work or enjoy the experience."