#pavel-zacha

#pavel-zacha

"That was one of the most frustrating things, especially [doing] things you're excited for - the outdoor [Stadium Series] game and the Olympics, especially mid-season," Zacha said. "So to make the decision of not going was really hard. Especially, even watching the games, now - it's hard to watch a little bit [now] that I can't be there and experience it. So it wasn't the easiest."

The Bruins' center had to be dropped from the Czechia Olympic team roster because of the upper body injury he suffered in the January 29 game against the Philadelphia Flyers. Zacha had held out hope that he would be able to play in the Milan-Cortina Games but on Saturday he had to be replaced on the roster by Filip Chlapik of he Czech Extraliaga.

Pavel Zacha is exactly the kind of middle-six forward the Leafs should be calling ahead of the trade deadline this March. At 28 years old, he brings a combination of size, versatility, and offensive ability that would help a Leafs lineup desperately in need of secondary scoring and depth centre options. Zacha is under contract with the Bruins through 2027-28 with a $4.75 million average annual value, making him a mid-term asset for a team looking to compete now and in the near future.

But Pavel Zacha, drafted by the Devils sixth overall in 2015 as a centerman but has bounced between pivot and wing throughout his career, looks at his versatility more as a blessing than a curse. He just wants a little heads-up for what's expected of him. That has been the case for Zacha in his first three seasons as a Bruin.