The Boston Bruins held practice on Wednesday at the Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton, although the squad was short-handed with eight players competing overseas. Amid this, Pavel Zacha made a notable return to the ice, marking his first practice with the team since sustaining an upper-body injury on January 29 that sidelined him during the Bruins’ ninth consecutive home win.
Zacha wore a red non-contact jersey as he eased back into practice after missing the Winter Olympics due to his injury, despite being selected by Team Czechia for their roster over the summer.
Zacha Reflects on Missing the Olympics and Midseason Events
After practice, Zacha shared his mixed emotions about the decision to sit out the Olympics.
Making the decision of not going was really hard,
Zacha said.
And especially, you know, even watching the games now. It’s hard to watch a little bit [because] I can’t be there and experience it. On the other hand, not missing too many games in the regular season with the break is also good, [because] I had some time to kind of slowly come back.
He also expressed frustration over missing both the Stadium Series and the Olympics, two key midseason highlights he had been eager to participate in. Initially optimistic about recovering in time, his condition plateaued before worsening, leading to a consensus decision between Zacha, the Bruins’ medical staff, and Team Czechia not to risk further delay.
I thought right away that I’m gonna be going because it was getting better,
Zacha explained.
Then it just kind of was stagnant. Then it started to get worse. With the timeline, after a week and a half, I knew it was probably not going to happen, to come back.
Bruins Team Management Anticipates Zacha’s Return
Bruins head coach Marco Sturm addressed Zacha’s status when asked about his potential availability for the upcoming game against Columbus on February 26, expressing hopeful anticipation.
Yeah, hopefully, Sturm said regarding Zacha’s return timeline. Meanwhile, the Bruins adjusted their roster for practice by recalling goaltender Michael DiPietro from the Providence Bruins to cover for the absent players.
Michael DiPietro Joins Bruins Amid Roster Challenges
DiPietro, recently called up from Providence, spoke about his mindset following the promotion.
For me, it’s just being a well-balanced player, off the ice and in person,
DiPietro stated.
When and if the time comes, whether it be this season, next season, whatever. I just want to take the ball and run with it. You want to be confident when you get that opportunity, and obviously you want success.
This season, the 21-year-old goaltender has posted impressive statistics in the AHL, including a 21-5-0 record, a 1.64 goals against average, and a .942 save percentage. He leads the league in GAA and save percentage among qualified goaltenders and is tied for the most wins.
Bruins Prepare for Upcoming Practice Sessions
After Wednesday’s session, the Bruins are set to return to the Warrior Ice Arena for practice on Thursday as they continue preparing for the remainder of the season amid ongoing roster adjustments.
Pavel Zacha is skating in a red sweater.
— Robert Chalmers (@IvanIvanlvan) February 18, 2026
