David Pastrnak would likely tell you that by his standards, the Olympic pool play was a bit disappointing for the Boston Bruins superstar. He was shut out in the opening game against Canada and had just one assist in the team's disappointing loss to Switzerland in the final game. He helped Czechia escape an upset loss to France with a goal and an assist, but most expected him to record at least a few points against one of the tournament's bottom-feeders.
Czechia is the favorite against Denmark in the qualification round, but the hype around Pastrnak's nation is a bit quieter than it was entering the tournament. Their roster depth took a hit with the Pavel Zacha injury, but they still have a deep enough team to make a bit more noise than they did in pool play.
Nevertheless, every team gets a fresh start now that the playoffs have started. Most will forget Czechia's underwhelming first three games if they can bounce back in the qualification round. Beating Denmark will be a start, but the whole team will have to be wary of looking ahead to the looming quarterfinal matchup.
If Czechia wins the 8 vs. 9 matchup, the top seed in the entire tournament awaits. The top seed is the dominant Canadian side, who showed how deep their team is with their wall-to-wall win over Czechia in the opening game. If the Czech side is going to go on a run, they'll need some big performances
Czechia's hopes rest on David Pastrnak
It isn't just Pastrnak who will need to step up, but it's clear that the Bruins' star will need to be the team's best player if they are going to win a couple of playoff games. The Denmark game will be a battle, but it could go a long way if Pastrnak gains some confidence and has a game that Boston fans have seen over the past two seasons.
It is in Pastrnak's DNA to lead a team against all odds. He has been doing it for the past 12 months with a Bruins team that has minimal offensive talent behind him. Like the Bruins, Czechia has some hardworking players that any coach wants, but the talent factor can shine through when their big guns aren't rolling.
It's difficult to write Czechia off. If they do get their expected win over Denmark, they have the type of team that you can see pulling a monumental upset of Canada. While most are expecting the Canadians to roll all the way to the gold medal game, it's not impossible to imagine a scenario where Pastrnak puts up a multi-point effort, and Lukas Dostal steals a game in net.
Coming into the tournament, all the talk about Czechia was how Dostal has stolen a couple of games for the Anaheim Ducks this season, and teams should be aware that he could do it in an elimination game. It would be ironic if, after all the hype from the media about this point, he decides to do it in the quarterfinals against Canada.
If Czechia can pull it off in the next two games, Pastrnak will guarantee himself a spot in the medal round. By taking Canada out of the picture, the Bruins' superstar could add to his legacy by bringing his country an Olympic medal in best-on-best hockey after already playing a big role in winning them a World Championship in 2024.