When the Boston Bruins hosted the Philadelphia Flyers in their final home game before the Olympic break on Jan. 29, they suffered another injury to a center. Two days after top center Elias Lindholm went down with an upper-body injury, Pavel Zacha had the same fate.
Late in the second period against the Flyers, Zacha exited the game with what the team labeled an upper-body injury. Like Lindholm, he would miss the final two Bruins games against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers before the break. However, leading into the break, head coach Marco Sturm said that he was still on course to play in the upcoming Olympics, but that isn't happening.
Bruins' Pavel Zacha ruled out of Olympics for Team Czechia
On Saturday morning, Chris Johnston of The Athletic reported that Zacha would miss the Olympics and be replaced by Filip Chlapik from the Czech Extraliga. He will be David Pastrnak's new teammate in what is a blow for Team Czechia.
Olympics aside, this is significant news for the Bruins. If Zacha is out for an extended period of time following the games, then Boston's spot in the standings and playoff chances take a huge hit. A giant one. After the break and four points up on the Columbus Blue Jackets and Washington Capitals, the Black and Gold will host the Blue Jackets on Feb. 26 at the TD Garden.
NHL players have been looking forward to playing in the Olympics this year for several years, and if Zacha can't go, then it is not a good sign going forward. You have to wonder and hope that he is not part of a group of players that NHL insider Elliotte Friedman hinted at potentially being shut down following the games. It remains to be seen, but it's going to be several weeks of Bruisn wondering just how bad and, more importantly, what his injury is.