Nashville Predators rookie Zachary L’Heureux has been suspended three games for slew-footing Minnesota Wild captain Jared Spurgeon on New Year’s Eve. It’s his first offense at the NHL level since making his debut on Oct. 22.
L’Heureux is suspended without pay and will forfeit $13,489.59 of his salary with the funds going to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund. Here is the NHL’s video explanation.
Zach L’Heureux given a match penalty after slewfooting Wild captain Jared Spurgeon. Shades of his past life in junior coming out tonight. pic.twitter.com/7MmjWWKh1B
— Nick Kieser🏒 (@KieserNick) January 1, 2025
The Predators forward was suspended nine times as a member of the Halifax Mooseheads in the QMJHL. He was also suspended twice in the AHL with the Milwaukee Admirals. All of his prior history–with a video–is at the bottom of this story.
Spencer Stastney & Ozzy Wiesblatt Recalled
In addition to L’Heureux being suspended the Predators also are without Jeremy Lauzon, Adam Wilsby, and Cole Smith (IR) for the time being.
Lauzon suffered a lower-body injury in Minnesota while Wilsby is out with an apparent upper-body injury he likely sustained in Winnipeg.
Defenseman Spencer Stastney is now back in Nashville after missing training camp due to personal reasons. He has three points in 10 games with the Milwaukee Admirals this season since coming off the non-roster list on Nov. 27.
“He was a guy that we could have used this year at the start with his ability to skate and break out pucks,” Trotz said back on Nov. 27 on Stillman & Company.
Stastney dressed in 20 games for the Predators last season posting four points and skated in three playoff contests against the Vancouver Canucks before suffering an upper-body injury.
Just a reminder that Stastney signed a two-year deal at the end of July worth $1.65 million. Year one is a two-way deal with Stastney making $400,000 in the AHL & $825,000 in the NHL. In the second year of his contract, Stastney will make $825,000 regardless of what level he plays at.
According to Puck Pedia, the 24-year-old has 31 more NHL games to play before he becomes eligible for waivers.
Wiesblatt told reporters after practice on Thursday that he will make his NHL debut against the Canucks on Friday after spending the first 128 games of his professional career in the AHL. He was acquired from the San Jose Sharks for Egor Afanasyev back on June 23
The Calgary, Alberta native said he will have his parents in Vancouver for the game along with three of his four siblings in attendance. He played his junior hockey for the Prince Albert Raiders before jumping up to the AHL in 2022-23.
Nashville’s next stop after Vancouver, as fate would have it, is in Calgary against the Flames.
So far Wiesblatt has 14 points in 27 games this season. He was looking for a new home after realizing his time was up with the Sharks organization.
“It means a lot to have people believe in me & they know what I’m capable of,” Wiesblatt said this summer. “I’m a very tenacious player & have a motor that doesn’t stop. Just focusing on having a good summer to get back at it.”
Should Wiesblatt make his NHL debut on Friday he’ll be the 30th player of 31 from the first round of the 2020 draft to make it to the largest stage.
History of Zach L’Heureux’s Suspensions
AHL – 3 Games
2 games on Dec. 30, 2023 (punch from behind)
1 game on March 6, 2024 (instigated a fight)
QMJHL – 37 Games
4 games on Nov. 6, 2020 (removed players helmet)
3 games on Feb. 5, 2021 (cross-checking)
2 games on April 4, 2021 (unsportsmanlike conduct)
4 games on April 13, 2021 (fighting)
4 games on Nov. 12, 2021 (high-sticking)
6 games on Dec. 18, 2021 (cross-checking)
1 game on March 10, 2022 (aggressor)
3 games on Jan. 8, 2023 (staged fight, unsportsmanlike conduct)
10 games on Feb. 8, 2023 (spearing a fan)
Follow Nick Kieser on Twitter/X: @KieserNick
Photos courtesy of the Nashville Predators
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