Last night Zachary L’Heureux played his sixtieth career NHL game against the Utah Hockey Club. Even with over seven hundred minutes of ice time in his rookie season, the 21-year-old Nashville Predators forward takes nothing for granted. 

“I take it one day at a time,” L’Heureux said. “I never take anything for granted because you never know when it’s gonna be your last day.”

L’Heureux made his NHL debut on October 22, 2024 against the Boston Bruins and has done enough to keep his spot on the Predators’ roster throughout the season. 

That isn’t an easy thing to do. 

There is a common saying among NHL coaches when it comes to young players getting their opportunity at the NHL level: You are good enough to get here. Now you have to be good enough to stay.  L’Heureux understands that getting that hot lap last fall was an exciting first step in his journey. Continuing to earn that NHL roster spot has been his focus every day since.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to not be sent back down and really show that I can play all year,” L’Heureux said. “But it hasn’t always been easy.”

The 2021 first round pick admits that this has been the most stressful season of his hockey career so far. 

“It’s been the most stress I’ve had playing hockey in my life,” L’Heureux shared. “It sounds horrible, but at the same time you’re at this level. It’s kind of normal. Being the youngest guy on the team, it’s not always easy coming to the rink.”

While expectations from the the front office, coaching staff, and teammates are high, much of the pressure L’Heureux feels is self induced. 

“I put a lot of stress on myself,” L’Heureux admitted. “Those moments where you’re thinking are you good enough? What’s management thinking? What are the coaches thinking of you?”

“I always want to have an impact on the game. I always want to be producing. I always want to play well. I don’t want to have an off night. At this level it’s hard to do that consistently.”

Add in the adjustment to travel, less recovery time between games, and competition at the highest level, and it’s been a season of learning for L’Heureux.

Leaning on a strong support system inside and outside of the franchise has helped L’Heureux deal with the pressure. He credits his family and friends, the coaching staff, and his teammates with helping him in his first NHL season. 

Being surrounded by veterans who model managing hockey life on and off the ice well has helped the young rookie. 

“I think of a guy like Ryan O’Reilly,” L’Heureux said. “I can relate a lot of what he does to my game and the way I want to play.”

“When you see his work ethic, the way he handles himself around the rink and with the guys, when you talk to him one-on-one or a group setting – just the way he is – he’s a natural leader,” L’Heureux said. 

“He’s a funny guy. He can light up a room. I feel like I can do that as well. I bring that, but as a young guy it can obviously be hard sometimes.”

Ryan isn’t the only O’Reilly who has impacted L’Heureux. He mentioned the older O’Reilly – Cal – who L’Heureux played with in Milwaukee as being another hockey role model. 

“Playing with his brother last year [in Milwaukee] and knowing the family too, there’s just such good people. For me coming in, it’s been a huge help.”

There have been a few “pinch me” moments in the NHL for the Montreal native to go along with the pressure. A big one has been sharing ice time with Steven Stamkos and Filip Forsberg.

“It’s pretty cool,” L’Heureux said. “I obviously grew up watching both those guys play. They’ve been around for so long and do so many good things.”

“I’m just hoping my game can compliment them.”

The coaching staff sees potential there. 

“Zach has some different elements to his game,” Assistant coach Todd Richards explained. “He’s got a little edge to him and can try to get underneath other people’s skin. The other thing he has as a first round pick is he has the ability to make plays and finish. It’s having that combination.”

After playing most of his games on the physical line with Michael McCarron and Cole Smith, L’Heureux earned time in the top six with Forsberg and Stamkos after Jonathan Marchessault was injured. It was an opportunity to showcase a different side of L’Heureux’s game. 

“You see him playing with more talented players,” Richards said. “He has that ability to provide maybe a little more offense.”

While his linemates may change, L’Heureux’s game does not. 

“I always want to be heavy on pucks, bring that offensive instinct,” L’Heureux said while explaining that his role each night may mean leaning into one aspect of his game more than another. 

Playing with McCarron and Smith is more dump and chase and forechecking. 

“Playing with Fil and Stammer – two such high level, skilled guys – you just try to get them the puck,” L’Heureux said with a smile. 

With four regular season games remaining, L’Heureux’s rookie year is coming to a close. Some of his Predators teammates are eligible to return to the Milwaukee Admirals who are expected to make a serious postseason run, but L’Heureux won’t be joining them.

“I’ve been keeping an eye on the [AHL] guys all year,” L’Heureux shared. “I still have a lot of good buddies and guys that I call friends for life there.”

“But at the end of the day, my goal is to play in the NHL, and I’ve been able to play in the NHL almost all year. I want to be in the NHL. I’m hoping that I never have to look back at the AHL. That’s my mindset right now.”

L’Heureux’s been good enough to get to the NHL. 

He’s committed to being good enough to stay.