Zachary L’Heureux Suspended For Cheap Shot On Colton Dach

The Nashville Predators drafted Zachary L’Heureux because of his physicality and tenacity.

But his over-aggressiveness has landed him in hot water on more than one occasion, which is exactly what happened following Saturday’s 5-4 Milwaukee Admirals shootout win over the Rockford IceHogs.

L’Heureux, who Nashville Hockey Now listed as the Predators’ No. 7 prospect, was suspended by the AHL for two games on Sunday afternoon for his actions against IceHogs forward Colton Dash, sidelining him for Sunday night’s matchup with Rockford and Milwaukee’s Jan. 5 matchup with the Colorado Eagles.

A little over halfway through the first period of Saturday’s game, L’Heureux took a hard check to the back from Dach — well after he attempted to clear the puck along the boards.

As Dach skated toward the net, L’Heureux extended his skate and tripped him. The two exchanged words as he popped up to his feet, then L’Heureux skated up to Dach from behind and caught him with a strike to the face that sent him crumpling to the ice.

lol I don't care what you're responding to, you cannot sucker punch a dude away from the play after the whistle…

another game misconduct for Zach L'Heureux, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a suspension here too#Preds #MILHockey pic.twitter.com/jRLwTvwSp2

— Preds Prospects (@OnTheFuturePBR) December 31, 2023

L’Heureux, who was hit with two 10-minute misconduct penalties in his first three AHL games with the Admirals, was given a game misconduct for Saturday’s incident against Rockford.

Suspensions are nothing new for the 20-year-old forward, who had nine of them during his four-year run in the QMJHL for a series of incidents that included fighting and unsportsmanlike conduct. L’Heureux was notably suspended for 10 games in February when he was with the Halifax Mooseheads, stemming from an altercation with a fan in which he jammed his stick through the boards and tried to hit a fan as he was exiting the ice after a game.

Through 27 games, L’Heureux has scored six goals and 18 points on 58 shots. He ranks fourth on the Admirals in shots, fifth in scoring and sixth in goals.

Follow Michael Gallagher on X/Twitter @MGsports_