Prospect Info: At 27th Overall The Predators Select Zachary L'Heureux

[LastWordArmy]

It was an interesting year for Zachary L’Heureux. Traded last summer from Moncton to Halifax, he delivered on the scoreboard for the Mooseheads. L’Heureux put up 19 goals and 20 assists for 39 points in 33 games. He also put up 47 penalty minutes and was involved in a couple of incidents with controversial hits that led to suspensions. Those combined with a mid-season pause due to Covid-19 led to his season being a bit stop and start with long breaks. Despite that, he continued to produce whenever he was on the ice.

The third overall pick in the 2019 QMJHL Draft, L’Heureux had a solid rookie season with the Moncton Wildcats in 2019-20. He led all QMJHL Rookies in points and was named to the QMJHL All-Rookie Team. L’Heureux scored 20 goals and 33 assists for 53 points in 55 games. He also played for Team Canada Black at the Under-17 World Hockey Challenge. L’Heureux put up three assists in five tournament games.

2021 NHL Draft #26: Zachary L'Heureux Scouting Report

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[King Weber]

 

[BigFatCat999]

A big prick of a guy who is competitive.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I was kind of getting hopeful of a trade-up maybe being to put the line together with Chibrikov. I've thought about L'Heureux for our earlier pick at times, but always come back with mixed feelings. It's kind of a throwback-mentality to go with the agitator/old-school type of player that L'Heureux seems to represent. We kind of played with that idea chasing after Ryan Hartman already, and that didn't go so well. Meanwhile, we also developed the Herd Line internally without that kind of high-pick chase. I guess a lot of it depends on what true skill upside L'Heureux has. He has generally been ranked a lot higher than where we traded up to get him, but I can't figure out of it that's due to having much skill upside, or if it's just a reflection of the general tendency in the NHL to still value that throwback style.

39 and 50 is "more than Arvidsson"... traded for this player. So I sure hope he pans out. It feels a little steep for a trade-up for this draft with the mix of players that seem available in these positions. But we'll see, I guess. If he does pan out as a gritty and productive player for us, it'll look great in hindsight.

 

[LCPreds]

 

[101st_fan]

Suspended four times ... one for a fight after the play (following a blindside hit), a high stick, the flipping off during a post game interview, and removing his helmet during a fight. Yes, there is a discipline issue there. How worrisome it is based on context is up for debate.

 

[triggrman]

If course I like it, it was my pick

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

End of the day, we walk out with 2 players who were generally ranked in the top-20 in the draft. That's gotta count as a win no matter what. Poile did a great job for Day 1 of the draft. And now he gets to sleep in a bit on Day 2.

 

[Seth Lake]

Zachary L'Heureux: "I play on the edge. When the wires touch sometimes you kind of cross the line ... I know I'm not done making mistakes & I'll probably make a lot more, but I learn from every single one of them"

As a coach, I’ve always appreciated having players who acknowledge there is a line and helping them find it, rather than having guys I need to teach and/or motivate to compete in the first place.

I think this guy is going to be a fan favorite!

 

[PredsV82]

Glad to see a lot less handwringing in this thread than the draft thread.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

Suspended four times ... one for a fight after the play (following a blindside hit), a high stick, the flipping off during a post game interview, and removing his helmet during a fight. Yes, there is a discipline issue there. How worrisome it is based on context is up for debate.

This is a post where your details and facts style pay off. That's mostly a bunch of meh. If the kid can play the game and win the battles while scoring points he's money in the bank. Like @Legionnaire11 said, you can't teach nasty and gritty.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

As a coach, I’ve always appreciated having players who acknowledge there is a line and helping them find it, rather than having guys I need to teach and/or motivate to compete in the first place.

I think this guy is going to be a fan favorite!

This is the truth. At any try out the kid that is always the first to the puck and gaining possession is your first pick. Natural aggression and competitiveness is undoubtedly imperative. It's nice that he seems like he also has the talent to find the twine.

 

[Seth Lake]

This is the truth. At any try out the kid that is always the first to the puck and gaining possession is your first pick. Natural aggression and competitiveness is undoubtedly imperative. It's nice that he seems like he also has the talent to find the twine.

I was just about to post this quote that I liked from the Preds Quebec based scout:

#Preds Scout J-P Glaude says when the Predators asked Zachary L'Heureux why they should draft him, the prospect replied by saying "take anyone in the Draft, if you put one puck in the corner, I'm going to get out with the puck. I'm going to win the battle." #NHLDraft

 

[nine_inch_fang]

I was just about to post this quote that I liked from the Preds Quebec based scout:

Exactly, you can't teach or force that attitude on someone.

 

[GoldOnGold]

Didn't we pick someone last year who had a similar Marchand-esque reputation? Looking back I believe it was Gunnarwolfe Fontaine.

 

[BigFatCat999]

L'Heureux translated is 'The happy one' LOL!

 

[Scoresberg]

Love the pick.. might turn about to be a steal because teams passing on him due to attitude issues. He will calm down.

Steep price to pay, as I think we would've gotten two good prospects in the 2nd round as well but probably not with this high pedigree.

 

[herzausstein]

I like it. We could use a guy with his skillset

 

[beardawg]

Poile traded up for a forward? What??

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Just to continue to play devil's advocate a little bit, even though I do like the pick, I think the main caution here is that you get a kid who is stronger and works harder and battles harder than most kids his age... so you come back to the "upside" question. How much room does he still have to grow? That's the question I will be wondering about. Tootoo or Hartman or guys like that have battled and worked hard too. But do you pick them in the 1st round, or pass up drafting 2 other players in the 2nd to get a player like them?

I don't think it's wrong to raise this kind of question and ponder it a little bit, especially as we roll into the 2nd round and get a sense of who would have been on the board at #39 and 50. They probably batted such questions around the draft table too before putting him top-20 on their draft list in the end.

 

[Bruinaura]

As a Bruins fan, I'll tell you.... that quote sounds exactly like Marchand. In a very good way.

I'm gonna keep an eye on this kid.

 

[Enoch]

Just to continue to play devil's advocate a little bit, even though I do like the pick, I think the main caution here is that you get a kid who is stronger and works harder and battles harder than most kids his age... so you come back to the "upside" question. How much room does he still have to grow? That's the question I will be wondering about. Tootoo or Hartman or guys like that have battled and worked hard too. But do you pick them in the 1st round, or pass up drafting 2 other players in the 2nd to get a player like them?

I don't think it's wrong to raise this kind of question and ponder it a little bit, especially as we roll into the 2nd round and get a sense of who would have been on the board at #39 and 50. They probably batted such questions around the draft table too before putting him top-20 on their draft list in the end.

I understand this.

With that said, if he has the work ethic AND the talent, which it appears he does, this is absolutely WHAT you scout for.

Sometimes the best player, the best doctor, the best inventor, the best scientist, etc. is the person who always persists/doesn't give up. It isn't necessarily the most brilliant or skilled, etc.

I am excited about this pick. He looks like a talented, hard working player that has room to grow still WITH talent.

 

[Armourboy]

If they can teach him to channel that attitude he could at least be a player that is very hard to play against.

I don't have a problem with him moving up. One of the knocks people have always said about Poile is that he plays it safe. How long has it been since we've seen Poile go after a forward in the draft?

 

[PredsV82]

If they can teach him to channel that attitude he could at least be a player that is very hard to play against.

I don't have a problem with him moving up. One of the knocks people have always said about Poile is that he plays it safe. How long has it been since we've seen Poile go after a forward in the draft?

Poile traded up 2 spots to get Colin Wilson in 2008.

 

[Armourboy]

Poile traded up 2 spots to get Colin Wilson in 2008.

So that's what 13 years? Yeah been a while.