IIHF president wants NHL-sized ice surface at Beijing Olympics

International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) president Rene Fasel would like to see future events held on the smaller ice surface typically used in North America.

"Our goal would be that in Beijing in 2022, if ice hockey's there, we will play on the small ice ... and in Finland in 2022, we will play on small ice (at) our World Championship," Fasel told the assembled media, including TSN, at a news conference in Vancouver on Saturday.

"That should be our goal, that in the future we have the same size as they play here in North America," he added.

The 2019 World Junior Championship in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia, is being played in NHL-sized facilities, and Fasel believes they're ideal for this tournament.

"What I like here (is that) the small ice in North America for the juniors is just perfect," he said, adding that he wasn't originally in favor of it but was convinced when he watched the 2010 Olympics, which were also held in Vancouver.

IIHF events hosted outside North America are typically played on ice surfaces measuring 200-feet long and 100-feet wide. NHL regulation size is 200 by 85.

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