If anyone needed another example that life is not fair, they should consider the case of Pavel Zacha.

The Bruins’ centerman has been the model of durability since arriving in Boston in 2022. He has played 296 of a possible 303 games in the regular season and 20 of 20 playoff games.

But on Jan. in a game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Zacha suffered an upper body injury that derailed his opportunity to play for Czechia in the Olympics.

Though he has begun to look forward to the final 25 games of the B’s regular season and possibly beyond, it was a tough blow.

“That was one of the most frustrating things, especially doing something you’re excited for with the Olympics in midseason. Making the decision of not to go was really hard,” said Zacha, who returned to B’s practice on Wednesday. “Even watching the games now it’s a little hard, that I can’t be there and experience it. On the other, not missing too many games in the regular season with the break is also good, that I had the time to slowly come back is nice.”

Zacha was part of the first group of six players that was named to the team last fall and he no doubt would have played a big part in the Czechs. He spoke with reporters at Warrior Ice Arena shortly before Czechia suffered its heartbreaking overtime loss in its bid to upset tournament favorite Canada in the quarterfinal. A healthy Zacha very well could have made a difference for the Czechs.

When he suffered the injury, which he appeared to suffer on a Nicolas Deslauriers check, Zacha didn’t think it was going to keep him out of the tournament.

“I thought right away that I’m going to be going because I was feeling better and then it was stagnant and it started to get worse,” said Zacha. “For three days it was good and then it started to get worse in the next five or six days. Within the timeline, I knew (it would be hard to come back) … it was frustrating, but health is the number one thing. I couldn’t perform at a 100 percent level.”

Zacha said it was a group decision made by the B’s, the Czech federation and himself that he would have to pull the plug on it.

“We kind of talked with (Don) Sweeney and the Czech GM (Jiri Slegr) and figured out a timeline. When it wasn’t working, we talked to Don about just calling the Czech team so they could call up the guy that was next up (Filip Chlapik),” said Zacha. “I think it was a mutual decision of all of us. As a player you want to play. But then hearing the other side of the timelines and everything, it didn’t add up. That’s when we made the decision.”

Now Zacha and the rest of Bruins who didn’t go to the Olympics have to turn their focus to the final 25 games, which will seem like a sprint after most of the NHL players will have had nearly three weeks off. And if there’s a silver lining in missing the Olympics, it is that Zacha should be healthy for them, both for the player and his employer.

“Taking some time off, in the long run for our season, is good to have. I’m trying to think of it positively,” said Zacha. “The first couple of days it was hard to think positively at all about this but on the other hand for our season, it’s going to be good for me to have some rest and be ready for the season.”

The B’s will not be able to ease into the schedule, either. They play a huge game in the first game back next week against the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are four points behind the B’s for the last playoff spot and have a game in hand. It’s tight, but Zacha and the rest of the B’s will take it over last season, which forced a fire sale at the trade deadline.

“It’s great that we’re in the spot we want to be in and that we have something to fight for,” said Zacha. “I think everyone’s excited to come back and give it their all, taking it five games at a time like we’ve done till now and go from there. It’s really exciting for us after last year, missing the playoffs, and hopefully we can keep getting better like we’ve done so far.”

Zacha skated in a red non-contact jersey, but coach Marco Sturm was hopeful that he’ll be ready to go when the Jackets come to town on Feb. 26.

But Sturm couldn’t help but feel bad for Zacha’s misfortune that kept him from Milan.

“Timing is everything and unfortunately timing was not on his side,” said Sturm. “He and Elias (Lindholm) were in exactly the same boat and we didn’t know. Can they go, can they not? Elias ended up being fine (for Sweden). Pav just couldn’t so it’s very unfortunate. I know he was really bummed. You only have those opportunities once in a while, so we feel for him. But I think he’s just happy that he’s feeling better now and he’ll be ready to go for the stretch.”