NHL 2026: The Olympics Will Be Mammoth!

[Kepler]

I heard a report yesterday that the rink is going to be 4' shorter between the blue lines. Seems bad. Google search confirms.

Old Boston Garden.

 

[Russell Jaslow]

Old Boston Garden.

Wasn't the old Sabres arena undersized?

 

[Deutsche Gopher Fan]

Shrinking the ice surface just speeds the game up. The IIHF / International size (200x100) is almost an extra 3000 square feet of ice over the NHL (200x85).

There were two NMU alums who played for the UHL Rockford Icehogs atound 2004 or 2005. The NMU ice surface was international sized (200x100) and the two kids played most their career on that surface. The Rockford Icehogs rink was much smaller than NHL sized, being just 183x85. It was a difference of 4,445 square feet, or the size of a whole McMansion.

There was an interview with the Icehogs coach where he was impressed with the two Wildcats speed on the UHL ice. He praised them for always out hustling the other players.

I talked with one of them after the season ended, he said he was so happy to play on that smaller ice because he didn't have to put in half the effort anymore.

yeah I guess I'm an outlier, I think it's already pretty fast. and I'm not intrigued at how much faster it might get in the olympics. Smaller means people like the tkachuks have an easier time and that just ain't the kind of hockey I love best. but again, I'm sure I'm an outlier in not loving this.