A week after raising the alarm over arena construction in Milan, the NHL is relieved to some degree following an update from its people on the ground.

Derek King and Dean Matsuzaki were in Milan this week, taking a look at the arena site for the league.

“It appears that positive forward progress is being made with respect to the necessary hockey-related facilities in Milan,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The Athletic on Wednesday. “We intend to continue to monitor progress as we get closer to the planned test events and the Games themselves.”

An International Olympic Committee spokesperson said Wednesday the IOC stood by the statement it sent last month. On Oct. 16, the IOC said the arena is “scheduled for completion mid-December” and that a new event has now been scheduled for early January, roughly a month before Olympic competition is set to begin at the arena on Feb. 5, with women’s hockey.

As colleague Chris Johnston reminded us on our Insider Trading segment Tuesday on TSN, there is no Plan B venue planned or available. The rink in Milan must be completed — or else.

The NHL, at least, seems more positive about it now.

Habs open-minded on potential forward upgrade

The longstanding search for a No. 2 center for the Canadiens hasn’t gone away, but the reality in talking to other front office sources around the league is that Montreal is also open to a trade for winger. Which is to say, the Habs are openminded in their approach to boosting their forward group.

The truth is that the Canadiens were making these types of calls around the league even before their recent significant injuries, but that has obviously exacerbated the situation.

Still, the Habs’ management duo of Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes are not known for rash decisions. They’re not going to make a panic move. Deep down, they know they’re not Stanley Cup contenders yet, so they’re not going to do anything foolish. Any bigger trade they’d consider would have to help the team this year — and beyond.

Now, I also think the Habs have examined the cheaper options, too; less dramatic moves that could fill a hole to help with the injuries (they tried on David Kämpf, but the veteran free-agent center chose Vancouver last weekend).

Right now, I think it’s a dual-track approach for Montreal when making calls around the league.

The problem, of course, is that there are few sellers with the standings so jammed up. Calgary and St. Louis are listening, for sure. But Flames ownership doesn’t want Nazem Kadri traded (he would be an obvious fit for Montreal). We’ll see if that changes over time. The Flames are in no hurry to move Blake Coleman, either, if they move him at all. But I could see the Canadiens also keeping an eye on that name.

Before making the Zach Bolduc-Logan Mailloux trade last summer, the Habs did talk to the Blues several times about Jordan Kyrou. But that was before his full no-trade clause kicked in on July 1. I sense that Kyrou, as of now, doesn’t intend to waive for any trade to any team. Those things can change, but that’s what I’ve been told. However, that feeling for any player can change on a dime. Kyrou may not want to waive today, but will he feel the same in two or three months, depending on how things play out?

Jonathan Marchessault, 34, has three and a half years left at a $5.5-million AAV. I think the term on that deal would scare the Habs to some degree. And I also think any team looking at Marchessault would have to assess how much his offensive decline has to do with the lack of playmakers in Nashville compared to Vegas versus his natural age regression. I think there’s a lot of hockey left in Marchessault, but one understands why some teams would be asking that question.

All of which is to illustrate that, yes, my sense is the Canadiens are making calls around the league, but the options aren’t deep this early in the season.

I would also say this about Montreal: management can try to upgrade the forward group all it wants, and it probably will at some point; but the best way for the Canadiens to get a boost in the short-term is by getting more saves. The goaltending hasn’t been nearly good enough.

Team Canada to meet again Dec. 6-9

Canada’s Olympic braintrust just had a huge, nine-hour meeting in Toronto last week where it cut down its player list to 35 to 40 names. The management group plans to meet again in person from Dec. 6-9, in what will be a critical meeting in further crystallizing where the roster is headed.

Team Canada GM Doug Armstrong says he hopes to come out of those three days of meetings in early December “at least 70 percent” comfortable with the roster.

That means heading into the final three weeks with at least 18 or so of the 25-man roster more or less decided and the final spots going to the wire.

And there’s no question the goalie position remains the most wide-open and likely will come down to the last remaining days ahead of Dec. 31 roster deadline.

Team USA GM Bill Guerin says a date hasn’t been set yet, but his management group will also meet in person one last time over the coming weeks.

Malkin to be discussed during Olympic break

Evgeni Malkin has turned back the clock so far, leading the Penguins in scoring. He looks like a totally different player from a year ago, when it appeared Father Time had caught up. The 39-year-old is playing on an expiring deal. Penguins GM Kyle Dubas has had clear communication from the outset this season on how the team would handle things, with a plan to convene at the Olympic break to discuss Malkin’s situation. That will give everyone involved on both sides greater clarity on how Malkin is feeling as the season progresses and allow any decision to be made with greater time and reflection.

For a player like Malkin and with what he means to the Penguins, the trade deadline has no bearing on decisions at hand. Unless he wanted out in-season, which everyone seems to think is very doubtful, he will finish the season in Pittsburgh.

Does Malkin want to come back for another season? That remains unanswered. But how he plays the rest of the way could impact his thinking.

Tuch, Sabres face sizeable gap in talks

Adrian Kempe’s extension this week further clarified the evolving forward market for UFAs. The next man up on that dwindling pending UFA list is Alex Tuch.

My understanding is that there remains a sizeable gap in positions in those talks. Which is to say I don’t think Buffalo has gone to double digits on the AAV yet. And I mean, who’s to say if the Sabres ultimately will?

Neither side has shut down talks, though, and both are willing to pick up the conversation at any time. For now, those talks are status quo.