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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 ten years, building work on the main hockey arena for the Milano Cortina Games is going down to the wire.

Officials confirmed on Wednesday that the primary test event for the 16,000-capacity Santagiulia facility that was scheduled for December has been relocated to a more compact venue – and that no additional trial has been scheduled yet.

The issue raises the prospect that there may not be a match held in the primary venue 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 extremely tight to the start of the games, the schedule is highly compressed. But we knew that,” Milano Cortina local organizing committee CEO Andrea Varnier stated in a recent update.

The competition that was intended to test the Santagiulia ice was a segment of the U20 world championship from 8-14 December. This tournament has been transferred to the Rho Fiera hockey location, which is being set up inside a giant exhibition hall on the outskirts of Milan and will stage lesser games during the Olympics.

Usually, freshly built Olympic facilities are trialled at least the year before to hosting medal events. And with a large hockey arena, it’s not only about the playing surface and making sure that the rink is ready and secure. It’s also about testing concession stands, restrooms and all other amenities inside a newly constructed modern stadium.

The Santagiulia venue, which is being built by a private company, is slated to become the nation's largest covered stadium. Following the Olympics, it’s being considered as a potential upcoming venue of the ATP Finals tennis event.

Despite the delays and worries, high-priced passes are already being purchased for events at the Santagiulia arena. Tickets for the men’s gold medal final on 22 February – the closing day of the games – are priced at as much as €1,400 (more than $1,600). That’s more than the price of any other sports event at the Milano Cortina Games. Solely passes for the opening and closing ceremonies are priced higher.

The return of NHL stars at the Olympics was announced in February of last year, with the world’s top hockey organization allowing its athletes to participate in the Winter Games for the initial occasion since 2014 in Sochi.

Men's Olympic hockey competition is set to run from 11-22 February. The women’s event runs from 5-19 February.