The Nashville Predators will be without one of their young players after a dirty play in a game against the Minnesota Wild. The NHL Department of Player Safety announced Thursday that Nashville Predators forward Zachary L’Heureux has been given a suspension of three games for slew-footing Wild defenceman Jared Spurgeon. The play took place during their New Year’s Eve game.
Zach L’Heureux Receives a Three-Game Suspension
#preds Zach L'Heureux has been suspended 3 games by @NHLPlayerSafety for slew-footing #mnwild captain Jared Spurgeon.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) January 2, 2025
The slew-foot occurred early in the second period. L’Heureux was given a match penalty for his infraction. L’Heureux forfeits $13,489.59 of his annual salary, as his suspension comes without pay. This money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
Disciplinary Action is Nothing New for L’Heureux
This is the first time L’Heureux has been suspended at the NHL level. However, he does have a history of disciplinary issues in the American Hockey League. In 66 games played last year, L’Heureux was suspended twice by the AHL. The first was for two games following a sucker punch to an unsuspecting opponent. The second was for a game after fighting after the final horn blew. Furthermore, L’Heureux was suspended numerous times at the junior level for various infractions. However, a notable suspension came after L’Heureux intentionally stuck his stick through a pane of glass, injuring a fan.
It is worth mentioning that the NHL Department of Player Safety does not consider suspensions from other leagues when determining punishment. However, L’Heureux does have a track record.
Preds High on Top Prospect
L’Heureux was drafted by the Predators in 2021. The organization is very high on his abilities. He is a strong skater with offensive upside. L’Heureux seems to have a future in the NHL. It will be interesting to see if he can limit these suspensions moving forward. If these antics continue, it is possible we will have a Western Conference version of Tom Wilson on our hands. That would make for some interesting moments down the road.
Main Photo Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
