Team Czechia has some news in men’s ice hockey today for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. Pavel Zacha is officially out due to injury, and will be replaced by a former NHL prospect Filip Chlapik. Let’s check out the details.
Chlapik In, Zacha Out with an Injury, for the 2026 Winter Olympics
Zacha, 28, has 682 career NHL games under his belt, with two NHL . In those games, he has collected 140 goals, 239 assists, for a total of 379 points. His experience against the best players in the world will be an attribute missed by the Czechia roster. However, he is being replaced by a more-than-competent offensively-minded player.
As we referenced, Chlapik is a 2015 second-round draft pick of the Ottawa Senators. He had made some waves a couple years ago, as someone the Sens might be interesting in bringing back. That was after a big season in Europe.
His last season in North America was 2020-21, appearing in one Ottawa Senator game, and two with Belleville. That was after the three previous years split between the two clubs. Since that season, he has been overseas. Moreover, he has been successful, mostly being a point-per-game type of player since going back home. In 2021-22 with Sparta Praha of the Czech Extraliga, he put up 70 points in 53 games. He has continued as right around a point-per-game guy. This year with Sparta Praha, he has 19 goals, 26 assists, totaling 45 points in just as many games. He has some size and skill, and will be a fine addition for Czechia.
Czechia starts the tournament on February 12th at 10:40 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, against the Goated Team Canada. The men’s hockey tournament starts the day before. Injury replacements for teams are allowed by that date, February 11th. That was one reason that the tournament allows roster sizes of 25. In contrast, at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off tourney, roster sizes were only 23-men.
A big loss for Czechia 🇨🇿 ahead of the Milan Olympics: Pavel Zacha is out of the tournament with an injury, replaced by Filip Chlapik from the Czech Extraliaga
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) February 7, 2026
Main Photo Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
