BOSTON - Pavel Zacha found himself on the ice at Warrior Ice Arena on Wednesday, marking the Boston Bruins' return to practice during the Olympic break. It wasn't exactly where he envisioned being.
Zacha had hoped to be competing with his Czech teammates, potentially altering the outcome of Czechia’s close 4-3 overtime loss to Canada. Instead, he was in Boston, donning a red non-contact jersey as he recovered from an upper-body injury.
While this setback kept him from the Stadium Series and his Olympic debut, there’s optimism he’ll be ready for the Bruins’ post-break matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Feb. 26.
Missing the Olympics has been a tough pill to swallow for Zacha.
“That was one of the most frustrating things,” Zacha admitted. “You look forward to events like the outdoor game and the Olympics, especially mid-season.
Deciding not to go was really tough. Watching the games now is bittersweet because I can’t be there.
But on the bright side, I’m not missing too many regular-season games due to the break, so I have time to recover.”
Zacha’s troubles began on Jan. 27 against the Nashville Predators, when Elias Lindholm exited early with an upper-body injury. Zacha followed suit in the next game. Initially, he was optimistic about making the trip overseas.
“I thought I’d be going. It was improving,” Zacha explained.
“Then it plateaued and worsened. After a week and a half, it was clear I wouldn’t make it.”
Both Zacha and Lindholm missed the Bruins’ 6-5 shootout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. While Lindholm managed to join Sweden’s Olympic squad, Zacha wasn’t as fortunate.
After discussions with Bruins GM Don Sweeney and Czech GM Jiri Slegr, the decision was made to replace Zacha with Filip Chlapik from Sparta Praha in the Czech Extraliga.
“Timing is everything. Unfortunately, it wasn’t on his side,” coach Marco Sturm noted.
“Both he and Elias were uncertain. Elias made it, but Pav couldn’t.
It’s unfortunate. He was really excited.
Opportunities like these don’t come often.”
Zacha has quickly become a favorite for Sturm, proving his versatility and reliability. Whether stabilizing the No. 2 line with Casey Mittelstadt and Viktor Arvidsson, partnering with David Pastrnak, killing penalties, or playing on the power play, Zacha has been indispensable. His 37 points rank fourth on the team, showcasing his all-around impact.
The Bruins’ playoff hopes are looking strong - they’re currently holding the No. 2 wild card spot, four points ahead of the Blue Jackets. Trading Zacha before the March 6 deadline seems unlikely, as it would disrupt the team’s momentum and upset key players like Pastrnak.
“He’s definitely on the right track,” Sturm said. “Hopefully, he continues this way so we can have him back at full strength.”
The Bruins have a busy practice schedule ahead, with sessions on Thursday and Saturday, followed by three more days of preparation next week for the Blue Jackets. While Zacha’s Olympic dreams were dashed, he’s focusing on using this time to prepare for the final stretch of the season.
“Taking some time off will be beneficial for our season,” Zacha reflected. “I’m trying to stay positive, even though it was hard at first. But in the long run, this rest will be good for me to come back strong.”