Aarif Deen
Two things immediately stand out about one of the Colorado Avalanche’s newest additions, Zachary L’Heureux.
First, he has strong defensive numbers as a winger — a trait the Avalanche have consistently valued under Jared Bednar. Second, he plays a hard-nosed game that often pushes the boundaries of what’s acceptable.
The 23-year-old has been suspended at every level he’s played, from the QMJHL with the Halifax Mooseheads to the AHL with the Milwaukee Admirals and, most recently, the NHL with the Nashville Predators. It’s something he’ll need to clean up. But it’s also a byproduct of the style that makes him an intriguing fit in Colorado.
L’Heureux models parts of his game after players such as Brad Marchand. He embraces the villain role, thrives as an agitator, and is still learning how to walk that fine line at hockey’s highest level. That’s what the Avalanche are betting on after acquiring him as part of Wednesday’s Jack Drury trade.
His disciplinary history is lengthy. Listed at 5-foot-11 and 197 pounds, L’Heureux has served 39 games worth of suspensions during his career, including 34 in the QMJHL. One of the most notable incidents resulted in a 10-game suspension for striking a fan with his stick. More recently, he was suspended two games by the NHL for slew-footing Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon during the 2024-25 season.
When he’s on the ice, however, the results have been encouraging, to an extent.
L’Heureux split last season between the AHL and NHL after missing time early in the year because of injury. In 30 games with Milwaukee, he recorded 14 goals and 14 assists. He also appeared in 21 games for Nashville, posting four goals and one assist.
His arrival gives the Avalanche both depth and cost certainty. Like fellow acquisition Fedor Svechkov, L’Heureux is signed for the next two seasons at an affordable cap hit of $875,000 before remaining under team control as a restricted free agent. Still, it’s a clear sign that Colorado is banking on potential more than anything. They’ll have to work on developing both of these players just to fill the role that Drury leaves behind.
L’Heureux also brings penalty-killing experience, something that should translate well to Colorado given Bednar’s preference for utilizing depth forwards in defensive situations.
This trade is unlikely to be the final move of the Avalanche’s offseason, and it may not even be the last significant change to the forward group. Still, it’s another step toward injecting youth into the lineup. L’Heureux’s combination of defensive responsibility, physicality, and agitation gives Colorado a different look in its bottom six.
The acquisition also further clarifies the roster picture. Both Svechkov and L’Heureux would require waivers to be assigned to the AHL, making them strong bets to open the season with the Avalanche barring a disappointing training camp.
Colorado already lost Zakhar Bardakov after the Russian forward opted to return to the KHL.
This trade also gives the Avalanche 12 NHL-ready forwards now under contract, and that’s before factoring in prospects Gavin Brindley and T.J. Hughes. That might mean the writing is on the wall for unrestricted free agent Joel Kiviranta, who will likely be searching for a new home on July 1.