Bruins’ Pavel Zacha Out Of Olympics Due To Injury
Zacha hasn't played since Jan. 29
Boston Bruins forward Pavel Zacha will not play for Team Czechia in the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 due to an injury.
Zacha has not played since Jan. 29 due to an upper-body injury. However, after he sustained the injury, Bruins head coach Marco Sturm didn’t think the injury would impact Zacha’s ability to play in the Olympics.
After Boston’s final game before the break, Sturm even said it would be up to Czechia’s medical staff to determine if Zacha could play.
“But again, they’re still not here, so that’s not good,” Sturm said after practice on Tuesday about Zacha and (Elias) Lindholm. “That means they still have issues, but at this point I think it’s probably more up to (the national team) doctors than ours and their decision moving forward, hopefully both will be okay to go.”
Zacha has skated in 54 games, recording 15 goals and 22 assists, and was expected to be a key figure for Czechia in the Olympics.
Replacing Zacha is Filip Chlapik, who plays in the Ottawa Senators organization.
Despite Zacha not playing, Boston still has several players competing in the Olympics: Joonas Korpisalo (Finland), Elias Lindholm (Sweden), Hampus Lindholm (Sweden), Jeremy Swayman (USA), Charlie McAvoy (USA), Henri Jokiharju (Finland), and prospect Dans Locmelis (Latvia).
The men’s Olympic hockey tournament is set to begin on Feb. 11.
