Predators’ Zachary L’Heureux given match penalty for slew-footing Wild’s Jared Spurgeon

A dangerous play has knocked out one of the league’s top leaders.

On New Year’s Eve, in a game between the Nashville Predators and Minnesota Wild, Predators forward Zachary L’Heureux received a match penalty for slew-footing Wild captain Jared Spurgeon.

The incident happened early in the second period. L’Heureux and Spurgeon were chasing a loose puck in the Minnesota zone when L’Heureux used his left leg to sweep Spurgeon’s feet out from underneath him.

Spurgeon ended up leaving the game, with the team later announcing that he would not return due to a lower-body injury.

The Wild went on to win the game, 5-3.

L’Heureux might not have a history of shenanigans in the NHL, but the Montreal native has a checkered past in the American Hockey League and the junior ranks. L’Heureux was suspended nine times in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, including a 10-game suspension during the 2022-23 season after jamming his stick through the glass to hit a fan.

Last year, during his rookie season with the Predators’ primary affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, the 21-year-old was suspended twice but still managed to lead the team in points.

While nothing has been reported yet, it is obvious the NHL Department of Player Safety will take a second look at his most recent act.

Since L’Heureux was called up to the NHL in October, he has appeared in 32 games for Nashville, scoring four goals and five assists for nine points and 27 penalty minutes.

For Spurgeon, another potentially long-term lower-body injury would add to a laundry list of ailments that have plagued him over the past few years. Along with missing seven games this season, the defenseman was held to just 16 games during the 2023-24 campaign. Spurgeon has only played a complete 82-game season once in his 15-year NHL career.