Zacha Withdraws from Czech Olympic Team Due to Upper-Body Injury
Pavel Zacha will not participate in the upcoming Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina 2026 due to an upper-body injury. The Boston Bruins forward will be replaced by fellow forward Filip Chlapik.
Zacha’s Injury Status
Zacha has been sidelined since January 29, when he left the game against the Philadelphia Flyers in the second period. Bruins coach Marco Sturm confirmed that the injury is not severe enough to prohibit Zacha from playing in the Olympics.
Performance Overview
This season, Zacha, who is 28 years old, has demonstrated impressive performance. He has accumulated 37 points, consisting of 15 goals and 22 assists, over 54 games.
Chlapik’s Profile
- Filip Chlapik is taking Zacha’s place on Team Czechia.
- Chlapik was selected 48th overall in the second round of the 2015 NHL Draft by the Ottawa Senators.
- During his NHL career with Ottawa, Chlapik recorded 11 points (5 goals, 6 assists) across 57 games over four seasons.
- Currently, Chlapik is in his third season with Sparta Praha in the Czech Extraliga, where he has achieved 45 points (19 goals, 26 assists) in 45 games this season.
Upcoming Matches
Team Czechia will face Team Canada in their first match of the tournament on Thursday, with the game scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET. Fans can watch the game on Peacock, USA Network, and CBC Gem.
