VANCOUVER — Team guy through and through, David Pastrnak here Friday generously offered teammate Morgan Geekie, proud son of Strathclair, Manitoba, a spot on Czechia’s Olympic hockey team.
So much for protocol and standard Games governance. Those spots aren’t Pastrnak’s to award, and his Black-and-Gold linemate, of Scottish descent, would be hard-pressed to produce proof of Czechia citizenship prior to puck drop next month at Olympus.
But all’s fair when chasing a ribbon with attached giant gold medal.
“I told Geeks we’d take him,” said a smiling Pastrnak, his country’s greatest goal-scoring threat, “so we might try to do that.”
It was largely a morning of wide, patriotic smiles among the Bruins, who worked out on the University of British Columbia campus in preparation of Saturday night’s matchup against the Canucks. No fewer than six Olympians, each with a big B on their chest, skated in the 45-minute practice, including:
- Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha, both of whom were named months ago by Team Czechia
- Charlie McAvoy and Jeremy Swayman, Team USA
- Elias Lindholm, Team Sweden
- Henri Jokiharju, Team Finland
Geekie (Canada) and Hampus Lindholm (Sweden) were considered strong candidates, but did not make the deep rosters of their respective countries. They could be reconsidered for a spot over the next four weeks, based on injury or any number of circumstances that could arise.
“That was always tough — not an easy call to make,” said Bruins coach Marco Sturm, pondering his days coaching the German Olympic squad and having to inform players they did not make the cut.
Geekie, said Sturm, “should be very excited” he was on Canada’s list of candidates. Always an Olympic powerhouse, the Canadians again will bring the tournament’s deepest roster to Milan Cortina.
“Hampus is probably a little disappointed, of course,” said Sturm, “but he also said there are injuries, too . . . so you just have to stay positive. It’s not done yet.”
Sturm referenced Bo Horvat as an example. The Islanders forward, named to Team Canada, suffered a leg injury this week, potentially opening up a spot if he can’t regain full health.
Otherwise, the guys with tickets punched for Italy sported smiles longer than a Venice gondolier’s paddle.
“A huge honor, obviously,” said Elias Lindholm, 31, who will make his Olympic Rings debut after suiting up for four IIHF World Championships with the Three Crowns. “As a young kid growing up, following the national team, the NHL was a long shot, so it was all national teams and Olympics. Guys you know, obviously like [Mats] Sundin and [Peter] Forsberg, you don’t remember so much their NHL careers, but you remember them playing for the national team, for the country.”
Named months ago to the Red-White-and-Blue team, McAvoy said it “feels more real now” that the USA roster has been set.
“We’re here,” he said. “We’re close now.”
Olympic play, noted McAvoy, entered his consciousness when the Games were in Vancouver in 2010. He was 12, growing up on Long Island, and it was the first Olympics for him “to take in.”
In 1980, the Yanks, captained by Mike Eruzione, won the Olympic gold medal at Lake Placid, a fairytale ride that included the United States defeating the Soviet Union on the path to victory.
McAvoy, born in 1997, has grown to appreciate that moment of, “Do you believe in miracles? . . . Yes!”
“I’ve seen “Miracle” probably 1,000 times,” said McAvoy, referring to the movie based on the triumph. “So we know the story. I’ve got a unique relationship with Mike Eruzione at BU. He spends a lot of time there. I talk to him a lot.
“The first one for me is 2010, but the appreciation for ‘80 is obvious for everybody. When you were scoring that big goal, you were pretending to be Mike Eruzione at Lake Placid.”
Making the Olympic team, added McAvoy, “has been a dream since I was a little kid . . . It’s still surreal for me.”
The call from Team USA general manager Bill Guerin, said Swayman, “is something I’ll never forget.”
It was something Guerin told him during their phone call that will stick with him forever.
“At the end, he said it was a no-brainer,” said Swayman, who grew up far left of mainstream USA hockey in Anchorage, Alaska. “And that’s something that, I want to leave no doubt every time I touch the ice and make sure they can have confidence in me.”
In the offseason, Swayman led the Yanks to their first World Championship gold medal in 92 years. He is headed to the Olympics with fellow Hockey East products Jake Oettinger (BU) and Connor Hellebuyck (Lowell).
Jokiharju, who could see action vs. the Canucks after being injured five weeks ago, received his phone call from Team Finland on Dec. 26.
“So,” he said, referring to the call from national coach Antti Pennanen, “it was like a good Christmas present.”
The Games are about to begin, renewing long-held rivalries such as Canada-United States. For the Germans, said Sturm, it’s play against the Swiss that makes the blood boil. The side-by-side proximity of the countries, he noted, is the root of it.
“For some reason, I would say, we always hate each other,” he added. “When we have a chance to beat them, it feels pretty damn good.”
How could anyone, Sturm was asked, hate Switzerland? All that chocolate? All those snow-capped mountains?
“Yeah . . . you’re right . . . you’re right,” said Sturm, enjoying the joke. “I can’t tell you why, a lot of reasons . . . but there’s a few things. We definitely don’t like each other.”
Kevin Paul Dupont can be reached at kevin.dupont@globe.com.