Team Canada is heading into the Olympic tournament as the top choice to keep their Gold Medal, and they have a big edge because of the ice setting in Milan.
Throughout this NHL season, there were many reports saying that the workers in Milan were lagging behind on building the Olympic rink. They finished it just in time, but the size of the ice is actually smaller than what was planned.
Connor McDavid and Team Canada will have a huge benefit on the Olympic rink.
Can someone explain to me like I’m 5, why the ice is 3 feet shorter than it should be but has 10 feet of nothing behind the nets? pic.twitter.com/A2RBtcL7ij
— Brad Miller (@Bradm14) February 5, 2026
The Olympic rink is narrower than what is typical for international play, and it is also 3 feet shorter than regular NHL rinks. This has created a smaller neutral zone.
With the neutral zone being so tiny, the speed of the game is going to be really exciting at the Olympics. Any player who can move the puck quickly will have the chance to change the game fast and rush into the offensive zone, and Canada has some players who are really good at this.
Smaller neutral zone – even if it’s just a modest difference – does feel like a slight relative disadvantage for the country that has McDavid, MacKinnon, Celebrini and Marner in their lineup.
— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) February 7, 2026
This season, McDavid had an amazing streak where, for 25 games, he had at least 7 times each game where he took control of the puck and entered the zone. Those are crazy numbers and are way ahead of everyone else in the NHL. However, the second best is Nathan MacKinnon.
Three feet might not sound like much, but at the highest level of competition, even small changes can have a huge impact – especially against defenders who struggle to keep up with McDavid’s lightning speed.
There is only one Connor McDavid.
McDavid has at least 7 zone entries, with possession, in 25 straight games. It’s the longest active streak…..by far.
Ducks vs Oilers tonight on @SportsOnPrimeCA pic.twitter.com/webO8t6vpD— Mike Kelly (@MikeKellyNHL) January 26, 2026
With the smaller neutral zone, Team Canada can put two of the best players in the world on different lines, making it tough for other teams to match up against them.
Besides having the best players in the tournament, the ice conditions in Milan also favor Canada. They are setting their sights on winning another Gold Medal.
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