Team Czechia was dealt crushing news as it prepares for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina. The team is set to open its tournament against Canada on Feb. 12, but those plans have now been disrupted by a major injury setback.
Boston Bruins forward has been ruled out of the Olympics due to an upper-body injury, forcing Team Czechia to make a late change.
Team Czechia’s Bid for Olympic Medal Gets Tougher
Pavel Zacha, who is signed to a four-year, $19 million contract with Boston in 2023, will not suit up for Czechia and will be replaced on the roster by forward Filip Chlapík.
Zacha hasn’t played since Jan. 29, when he exited in the second period of a 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. At the time, Bruins head coach Marco Sturm suggested the injury wasn’t serious enough to threaten Zacha’s Olympic availability. However, further evaluation has now sidelined him from international competition.
The loss is a major one for Czechia. Zacha has been a key piece of the national team setup and is often used as a top-line center alongside fellow countryman David Pastrňák.
Several hockey insiders reacted quickly to the news. The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn noted, “Big loss for the Czechs. Thought they could be a sneaky threat for bronze, but obviously much tougher now. Without Zacha, Czechia’s medal odds drop from 23% to 20%.”
From the NHL perspective, Zacha’s injury could also ripple into Boston’s playoff push. Analyst Steve Conroy pointed out that the Bruins return to action Feb. 26 against the Columbus Blue Jackets, “Which is pretty huge game. Jackets are 4 points back of Bruins with a game in hand. If he misses more time in the NHL season, B’s hold on a playoff spot becomes more tenuous,” he added.
Others focused on the personal side of the blow. NHL writer Jim Biringer said, “Tough to see guy like Boston Bruins forward Pavel Zacha to miss the Olympics due to injury for Czechia. Seen him come so far as a player and to get to this stage and not being able to play. Feel for him.”
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While losing Zacha is a tough blow, Czechia will now lean on Filip Chlapík, who has drawn strong reviews for his play in Europe. Chlapík has been excellent with Sparta Praha this season. He has 19 goals and 26 assists in 45 games.
Replacing Zacha’s experience won’t be easy, but Czechia will hope Chlapík’s strong form and hunger can help soften the blow.
