L'Heureux Cherishes Montreal Homecoming, Continues to Solidify Spot in Preds Lineup

When the opposition’s French-Canadian players are announced in the visiting team’s starting lineup at the Bell Centre in Montreal, they typically receive a polite smattering of applause from the local faithful, a show of respect to those from their own province.

But when Zachary L’Heureux’s name reverberated through the building prior to the Predators facing the Canadiens on Thursday night in his hometown for the first time, the cheer sounded more like a game at Bridgestone Arena for a moment.

Following the contest, that became a bit more apparent as to why.

A photo of L’Heureux’s friends and family made the rounds on social media with a group of attendees that could have made up the entire population of a small Quebec town, a fact that wowed the man of the night once he saw just how many came to show their support.

Sure, the rookie winger would have preferred to collect a win in his first time playing in an NHL game in the city where he grew up - a place where hockey means more to many of the inhabitants than just about anything else - but he’ll still remember this one for a while.

“It was so special to have so many family and friends and people come up to support,” L’Heureux said of the experience. “I don't really have any words to describe the feeling, but I’m just so proud and honored that so many people would come out and go out of their way to come watch me and support me. So, obviously I wanted to lay everything out there, play my heart out, which I thought I did. Unfortunately, we didn't get the result that we wanted…but it was awesome.”

The Montreal native says not only were his parents and extended family in attendance, but also family friends who have known him since he was a young boy, including some who have watched him play hockey since he first put on skates.

“My parents are from a small town, too, so a lot of people from there traveled out to Montreal, which is like an hour and a half drive,” L’Heureux said. “So, just everybody going out of their way to be there, it just made it even more special. And like I said, I just wanted to play my heart out for them.”

L’Heureux’s fanbase is already well established back home, but it’s growing in Nashville, too.

Selected 27th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft by the Predators, L’Heureux was recalled from Milwaukee of the AHL on Oct. 21, and he hasn’t looked back.

The scrappy forward has skated in all 23 Preds games since then, and he scored his first NHL goal on Nov. 17 in Vancouver. The second tally - on a breakaway, no less - came on Nov. 25 at New Jersey, and after starting on the fourth line with limited minutes, he’s worked his way up.

As things stand, L’Heureux spent Saturday night in Ottawa skating with Fedor Svechkov and Jonathan Marchessault on Nashville’s second line, and he assisted on Svechkov’s goal late in regulation. L’Heureux has also found his way onto Nashville’s second power-play unit, a spot Predators Head Coach Andrew Brunette says is well-deserved.

“He’s earned it,” Brunette said of L’Heureux’s additional responsibilities. “Just his energy, his relentlessness, he brings that to our group. He’s got a really good stick, he's got good offensive instincts, and he's deserved to play more because he's played better.”

“I got called up, and I played every game, and I feel like my game is growing,” L’Heureux said. “Some nights are a little harder than others, but at the end of the day, I think I'm doing a good job showing that I can be in the lineup consistently and bring that energy. And I think I've done my role very well, and I know I've kind of accepted it, but at the same time, I'm trying to show the coaches that I can do more. I can help out more, and [I want to continue to] gain their trust so that they can play me in every situation. But, I still try to take it day by day. There’s no guarantee, but at the same time, it's definitely pretty cool now to have been here for a little while, and it just feels like I'm part of the team.”

Just about everyone who seemingly played a role in helping L’Heureux get to this point was there last week back home to wish him well. The 21-year-old still has plenty more hockey to play, but that moment in Montreal caused him to pause and reflect on the nights he spent as a young fan at the Bell Centre to now being on the other side of the glass.

L’Heureux wouldn’t mind a few more of those moments in the years to come, and if he continues on his current trajectory, those cheers for his name in the opposing lineup won’t grow any quieter when he goes back home.

“I knew there were going to be a lot of people there, but it ended up being probably twice the amount that I thought,” L’Heureux said. “When I got out there and just to see everybody during warmups, and everybody’s smiling - and it was obviously tough that we lost - but still special. Just such a good moment for me to be able to see everybody. It's pretty quick [afterward] just hugging one person after another, and it was awesome, really. It was one of the games I'm going to remember for the rest of my life.”