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Forget about poor conditions. Currently, the surface isn't ready.

As NHL players preparing to make a comeback to the Olympics for the first time in more than a decade, construction on the primary hockey arena for the Milano Cortina Games is going down to the wire.

Local organizers confirmed on Wednesday that the main trial competition for the 16,000-capacity Santagiulia facility originally planned for December has been moved to a more compact arena – and that no additional trial has been arranged yet.

The issue creates the possibility that there might not be a match held in the main arena until the puck is dropped for the women’s preliminary round at the Olympics on 5 February – one day before the inaugural event.

“It’s going to be very close to the start of the games, the timeline is highly compressed. However, we were aware,” Milano Cortina local organizing committee CEO Andrea Varnier said recently.

The competition that was intended to evaluate the Santagiulia playing surface was part of the U20 world championship from 8-14 December. That event has been transferred to the Rho Fiera hockey location, which is being set up inside a giant convention center on the outskirts of Milan and will stage lesser games during the games.

Usually, new Olympic venues are trialled at least the year before to hosting podium competitions. And with a large hockey arena, it’s not only about the ice and making sure that the rink is ready and safe. It’s additionally about checking concession stands, restrooms and all other amenities inside a newly constructed contemporary stadium.

This new facility, which is being constructed by a commercial firm, is scheduled to become Italy’s largest covered stadium. For after the Olympics, it’s being eyed as a potential future host of the ATP Tour Finals tennis tournament.

In spite of the postponements and worries, high-priced passes are already being sold for matches at the Santagiulia arena. Seats for the men's championship game on 22 February – the final day of the Olympics – are going for as much as €1,400 (over $1,600). This exceeds for any other sports event at the Milano Cortina Games. Solely passes for the inaugural and final events are priced higher.

The return of NHL players at the Olympics was announced last February, with the premier hockey league permitting its athletes to compete in the Winter Olympics for the first time since 2014 in Sochi.

Men's Olympic hockey tournament is set to take place from 11-22 February. Women's tournament occurs from 5-19 February.