2010 hockey to be played on NHL ice

The Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee announced Wednesday that the men's and women's ice hockey competition at the 2010 Games will be played on an NHL-sized ice surface.

The announcement came at the conclusion of a two-day visit from the International Olympic Committee.

Vanoc estimates that it will save $10 million by using the smaller NHL ice because it won't have to make changes to arenas like GM Place, the home of the Vancouver Canucks.

International Ice Hockey Federation president Rene Fasel attended the meetings and called it a ''tough decision'' but said he supports it.

NHL rinks carry dimensions of 200 feet by 85 feet. International ice surfaces carry an additional 15 feet in width.

It will be the first time the smaller surface will be used in Olympic competition.

Never a big hockey fan... in what way does the wider rink change the character of the game???

The smaller rinks give an advantage to the US/Canada physical style of play with very large players. A larger rinks gives an advantage to the more European speed style of play with faster, perhaps more skilled players. The rinks are smaller in the US and Canada (NHL) so they can get more seats in the arenas.

Cool. International ice seems huge in comparison.
I should have EA's 2010 NHL soon too.

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Originally Posted by maddog

The smaller rinks give an advantage to the US/Canada physical style of play with very large players. A larger rinks gives an advantage to the more European speed style of play with faster, perhaps more skilled players. The rinks are smaller in the US and Canada (NHL) so they can get more seats in the arenas.

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Hard to say more skilled when Canada constantly steps out onto the bigger ice and wins gold against the countries who usually play on the ice. :D I'd count being physical a skill wouldn't you?

A standard NHL rink is 200 feet long and 85 feet wide, with goal lines 11 feet from the end boards.International ice is 210 feet long and 98 feet wide.