NHL Suspends Predators’ Zachary L’Heureux Three Games For Slew-Footing Wild Captain

The NHL’s Department of Player Safety issued a three-game suspension to Zachary L’Heureux.

The Nashville Predators left winger received a match penalty on Tuesday in a tilt against the Minnesota Wild for slew-footing Jared Spurgeon.

L’Heureux sent Minnesota’s captain into the boards, forcing him to leave the game. Spurgeon did not put any weight on his right leg when getting off the ice.

This is L’Heureux’s first suspension in the NHL, but he’s been suspended before in the AHL and QMJHL.

L’Heureux received nine suspensions in the QMJHL, including a 10-game suspension for allegedly jabbing his stick at a 16-year-old fan.

The 21-year-old also received two suspensions in the AHL with the Milwaukee Admirals. Last season, he racked up 197 penalty minutes in 66 regular-season games with the Admirals. L’Heureux recorded another 62 penalty minutes in 15 AHL playoff games.

With Spurgeon out with a lower-body injury, the Wild’s list of injuries continues to grow. Minnesota has also missed another D-man, Jake Middleton, who has been out for three weeks. He suffered an upper-body injury in his last game against the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 12.

They’ve missed superstar Kirill Kaprizov, currently on the injured reserve. Before his injury on Dec. 23 against the Chicago Blackhawks, Kaprizov was among the NHL’s top five scorers with 50 points in 34 games.

While the timeline for Spurgeon’s injury is unknown, there is the potential for David Jiricek to make his debut for the Wild. The Wild acquired Jiricek from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Nov. 30 for four draft picks and minor-league defenseman Daemon Hunt. Jiricek has a goal and an assist in 12 games for the Iowa Wild, Minnesota’s AHL affiliate.

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