The uncertainty surrounding NHL players' participation in the 2026 Winter Olympics intensified Wednesday after NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly delivered the league’s clearest stance yet. Asked by reporter Matt Larkin about the likelihood of NHL players not attending the Games, Daly offered a blunt and uncompromising answer."Depends on the percent you want to place on the possibility the rink doesn’t get completed," Daly said, via Larkin's post on X. "If there’s no rink completed, there’s no NHL players going to the Olympics."Daly's comments reinforce growing concerns about the unfinished Santagiulia Arena in Milan, the planned main venue for men’s ice hockey at the 2026 Games. Construction delays have already forced the cancellation of a test event, and doubts continue to mount as February 2026 approaches.These issues were highlighted weeks earlier when NHL commissioner Gary Bettman voiced similar reservations. Speaking with Hockey Sverige in mid-November, Bettman confirmed the league had dispatched two inspectors to Italy to evaluate the arena’s progress and specifically assess ice quality."There seem to be some issues, including with the ice," Bettman said about arena delays. "Even though the International Olympic Committee and the International Ice Hockey Federation are responsible and have said we have nothing to worry about. We will send our own people to look at it ourselves, because the safety of the players in this tournament is the most important thing."Bettman stressed that while the International Olympic Committee and IIHF are responsible for delivering a ready and safe venue, the NHL cannot rely solely on assurances.So far, the construction for 2026 is running dangerously close to deadline. But despite the concerns, anticipation for NHL players’ long-awaited Olympic return remains high. However, unless the arena in Milan is completed to NHL standards, Daly has made it clear that the league will not send its stars to Italy.Sidney Crosby on the 2026 Winter Olympics being his lastSidney Crosby is set to be one of Canada’s biggest stars at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Expected to lead Team Canada, the 38-year-old would enter the tournament still performing at an elite level. With 18 goals and 29 points in 25 games this season, Crosby continues to defy age and remains the heartbeat of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ offense. Speaking to CBC Sports in November, Crosby admitted he isn’t sure whether 2026 will be his final Olympics appearance. "I hope it’s not, but if it is, I hope that I can make the most of this great opportunity," Crosby said. For now, Crosby's focus is to keep playing, keep producing, and keep leading Canada on the world stage.