The NHL is currently in a scheduled pause (Feb. 5 – Feb. 24) to accommodate the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy.
Several key Boston Bruins are participating in the men’s ice hockey tournament, which begins this week. The most notable matchup of the week is Finland vs. Sweden on Feb. 13, which guarantees a “Bruin vs. Bruin” showdown.
The Olympic Exodus & “Bruins vs. Bruins”
The biggest story is the departure of nearly the entire Bruins core to Italy. With David Pastrnak leading Czechia and Charlie McAvoy anchoring the USA blue line, Bruins fans have a rooting interest in almost every major game. The highlight of the week is Friday, Feb. 13, when Finland takes on Sweden. This game pits the “Lindholm duo” (Elias and Hampus) against their own teammates (Joonas Korpisalo and Henri Jokiharju), offering intense bragging rights for the locker room when they return.
Pavel Zacha’s Injury Status
A developing storyline is the health of Pavel Zacha. While he was named to the Czechia roster, he is dealing with an injury and will not be able to play. That could be “good news” for the Bruins in the long run, as it gives their second-line center three weeks to fully heal for the playoff push rather than risking further aggravation in tournament play.
Rest vs. Rust for the Remaining Roster
With a record of 32-20-5 entering the break, the Bruins are firmly in a Wild Card spot but have struggled with consistency, recently losing a shootout heartbreaker to the Florida Panthers just before the pause. For players not going to the Olympics, this break serves as a critical “mini-offseason” to reset mentally and physically for the sprint to the finish line.
The Looming Trade Deadline
Once the Olympic freeze lifts in late February, the NHL Trade Deadline will be less than two weeks away. The Bruins’ front office will use this break to assess whether they are “all-in” buyers. The performance of their roster players in the high-pressure Olympic environment could even influence evaluation, but the primary focus remains on whether the current NHL roster has enough depth to compete with the likes of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens in the Atlantic Division.
Related: Guide to the 2026 Winter Olympics Men’s Hockey Tournament
Bruins Olympic Schedule This Week
DateTime (ET)MatchupBruins Players Involved (Projected)Wed, Feb 1110:40 AMFinland vs. SlovakiaJoonas Korpisalo, Henri Jokiharju (FIN)Wed, Feb 113:10 PMSweden vs. ItalyElias Lindholm, Hampus Lindholm (SWE)Thu, Feb 1210:40 AMCzechia vs. CanadaDavid Pastrnak (CZE)Thu, Feb 123:10 PMUSA vs. LatviaCharlie McAvoy, Jeremy Swayman (USA)Fri, Feb 136:10 AMFinland vs. SwedenKorpisalo/Jokiharju vs. E./H. LindholmFri, Feb 1310:40 AMCzechia vs. FrancePastrnak (CZE)Sat, Feb 146:10 AMSweden vs. SlovakiaE./H. Lindholm (SWE)Sat, Feb 1410:40 AMFinland vs. ItalyKorpisalo/Jokiharju (FIN)Sat, Feb 143:10 PMUSA vs. DenmarkMcAvoy/Swayman (USA)Sun, Feb 156:10 AMCzechia vs. SwitzerlandPastrnak (CZE)Sun, Feb 153:10 PMUSA vs. GermanyMcAvoy/Swayman (USA)
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