Bruins’ Pavel Zacha hit with brutal Team Czechia-Olympics update appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Pavel Zacha’s dream of representing his native Czechia in the Winter Olympics will be put on hold. The Boston Bruins forward, who has been sidelined with an upper-body injury since the end of January, will not compete in the Milano Cortina Games, per NHL.com. Former Ottawa Senators forward Filip Chlapik will take his place on the squad.
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Players obviously know that injuries can disrupt plans, both at the NHL and international level, but Zacha is surely devastated to land on the shelf so close to the Olympics. Pushing through discomfort could have a negative effect on the Bruins and Team Czechia, so this is the practical decision for all involved. He will now have nearly three weeks to fully recover before Boston resumes play.
Zacha ranks third on the B’s with 15 goals this season and also has 22 assists, 21 blocks and 42 hits in 54 games. The No. 6 overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft has been a key part of the Bruins’ bounce-back campaign. What was supposed to be a year of transition is instead highly competitive, with Boston currently occupying the second Wild Card slot in the Eastern Conference with a 32-20-5 record.
Pavel Zacha can at least take comfort in knowing that he will play in high-stakes games down the stretch. Still, he wants to be skating in Italy with his countrymen.
Czechia will square off with perennial powerhouse Canada in a preliminary round matchup on Feb. 12. This injury setback will presumably make an upset victory even more grueling to attain. Zacha will be watching from afar, as he does his best to get past this Olympics anguish.
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