Czechia's Pavel Zacha Out For Olympics

Pavel Zacha's 2026 Olympics are over before they even had a chance to begin.

Czechia add Filip Chlapik to the roster, replacing injured Pavel Zacha. 🇨🇿 #Olympics #IIHF @czehockey pic.twitter.com/fpKMauYWaG

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) February 7, 2026

Team Czechia's men's hockey team announced on Saturday that the Boston Bruins center is out for the Olympic tournament due to an upper-body injury. Zacha will be replaced by Filip Chlapik.

Zacha sustained the injury before the Olympic break, leaving a game in the second period against the Philadelphia Flyers on January 29. There hasn't been much information released on when exactly he suffered the injury, but none the less, it's heartbreaking for Zacha and his family.

The 28-year-old is having a solid season with the Bruins, scoring 15 goals, and 22 assists for 54 points, playing alongside fellow countryman David Pastrnak. Meanwhile, Chlapik gets the call and had been playing this season with Sparta Praha in the Czech league. The 28-year-old forward has recorded 19 goals and 26 assists in 45 games. 

Chlapik was originally drafted by the Ottawa Senators, 48th overall in 2015, and has only appeared in 57 games throughout his brief NHL career.

Photo credit:  Winslow Townson-Imagn Images