Predators Zachary L’Heureux Suspended Three Games for Slew-Footing Wild Jared Spurgeon


The slew foot is undoubtedly the most dangerous play in hockey and as such, Nashville Predators forward Zachary L’Heureux will be taking some unpaid rest and relaxation time in the coming days.

The NHL has issued the Nashville forward a three-game suspension for the nasty play he made on Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon Tuesday night.

L’Heureux will go the suspension without pay for double slew footing Spurgeon in the second period of the 5-3 Minnesota victory, which led to a match penalty.

In addition, the 21-year-old will be fined $13,489.59 based on his annual salary of $925,000 in accordance to the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

As the two players were chasing a loose puck in Minnesota’s end, L’Heureux lifted Spurgeon’s legs from behind with his left knee, causing him crash awkwardly into the boards at full speed.

Spurgeon sustained an injury during the play and exited the game. The Wild announced on Thursday that he will be week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

After the game, he was observed using crutches and wearing a full leg brace, so it’s likely that the Wild captain will be out of commission for significant time. Having fully recovered from last year’s season-ending back and hip surgeries, he now faces the threat of another potential long-term injury.

Zachary L'Heureux
ST PAUL, MINNESOTA – DECEMBER 31: Yakov Trenin #13 of the Minnesota Wild hits Zachary L’Heureux #68 of the Nashville Predators after L’Heureux slammed Jared Spurgeon #46 of the Wild into the boards in the…


This is the first suspension in the youngster’s NHL career, but he has a history of dirty plays that cost him games in both the QMJHL (36 games total) and the AHL (three games total).

The Department of Player Safety did not offer an in-person hearing to L’Heureux, which indicated that the suspension could’ve been a maximum of five games.

“Yeah, I saw him hit the boards hard there and everyone saw those replays,” Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson said, who had a first-hand view of the play. “No player wants to do that to another player, hopefully and I just hope Jared is ok and can have a speedy recovery.”

The NHL officially deemed L’Heureux’s actions as slew footing, which is defined in the league’s rulebook as “the act of a player using his leg or foot to knock or kick an opponent’s feet from under him, or pushes an opponent’s upper body backward with an arm or elbow, and at the same time with a forward motion of his leg, knocks or kicks the opponent’s feet from under him, causing him to fall violently to the ice.”

More NHL: Former Canucks Captain Bo Horvat Speaks Out on Elias Pettersson and JT Miller Rift

For more on the NHL, head to Newsweek Sports.



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