Zachary L’Heureux- 2021 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

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Zachary L’Heureux

2020-21 Team: Halifax Mooseheads
Date of Birth: May 15, 2003
Place of Birth: Montreal, QC, CAN
Ht: 5-foot-11 Wt: 196 pounds
Shoots: L
Position: C/LW
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2021 first-year eligible

Rankings

Brad Marchand and Nazem Kadri are two players that automatically come to mind when you think of Halifax Mooseheads power forward, Zachary L’Heureux. He’s the epitome of a player that you would love to have on your team, but would absolutely hate to play against. After a strong rookie campaign with the Moncton Wildcats, L’Heureux made an immediate impact for the Mooseheads when the season started.

Related: 2021 NHL Draft Guide

L’Heureux has the strength, speed and offensive awareness to stand out and dominate every shift when he’s on he ice. He’s always in attack mode, engaging in any situation he sees in order to gain possession of the puck. He’s a great skater as he’s able to gain the momentum he needs in order to win puck races. He has strong edges for quick wrap around attempts and to evade tight situations. When the puck is on his stick, he has great body positioning in order to protect it.

He is a major offensive force. According to Pick 224, 33 of L’Heureux’s 39 points were primary points and 23 of them were at even-strength points– a 0.697 per game rate, ranking 10th overall among draft year players. His 15 even-strength goals ranks him at eighth overall. As a result of his goal production, he has a great shot with a quick release as well as the ability to attack the net for loose pucks. He always seems to be in the right spot for the quick tap ins as he’s able to go undetected from defenders. 

Zachary L'Heureux Moncton Wildcats
Former Moncton Wildcast forward Zachary L’Heureux. (Daniel St-Louis)

His offensive game stands out, but L’Heureux is a very reliable defender as he’s capable of providing great coverage at even strength on the back check and on the penalty kill. He provides great pressure on the puck carrier and always likes to get the inside edge by tying up the opposition with a quick stick lift. 

While he stands at 5-foot-11, he isn’t afraid to play a physical game and throw his body around. He’s really effective at making hits in order to create turnovers and regain possession. He’s always looking to play the body in order to throw the opposition off. 

While that is a strength for L’Heureux, it’s also a reason why it warrants some red flags as he been undisciplined this season, which resulted in multiple suspensions during his draft year. While that might put some teams off, his energy and offensive impact still makes him a highly touted prospect.

Other THW Draft Profiles

Zachary L’Heureux- NHL Draft Projection

There isn’t any doubt that with L’Herureux’s skillset he is definitely worthy of being a first-round selection as many outlets have him in the 20-30 range. A potential top-15 pick heading into the draft season, his discipline issues on the ice could be a factor why his stock could drop in the draft. When he’s on his game, he’s one of the toughest players to go up against. For that, a team would be happy to select him.

Quotables

“L’Heureux is a power forward through and through, who can utilize his strength to win battles and protect the puck. He has surprisingly soft hands for his style of play and a finishing ability that will catch attention. He’s got a bit of a mean streak that has led to two suspensions this season, but he could prove to be a serviceable forward at the next level.”– Josh Bell, FC Hockey

“When he is in his zone, he will still show aggression even though it is less than what it was previously. With that being said, L’Heureux will deliver open ice hits in an effort to silence the cycle and regain possession of the puck. Below, you will find an example of L’Heureux’s willingness to get gritty and deliver open ice hits to shut down the rush.”– Josh Tessler, SMAHT Scouting

“L’Heureux is a pure goal scorer. He has an excellent wrist shot and a quick release. He also has a good snapshot, slap shot and one-timer. His shots are accurate and powerful. L’Heureux is not afraid to play in the dirty areas of the ice, relishing the battles in front of the net. From there he can score with a deflection, with the quick hands to pounce on rebounds, and by one-timing a pass into the back of the net.”– Ben Kerr, Last Word on Sports

Strengths

  • Powerful shot
  • Puck Protection
  • Defensive awareness
  • Skating
  • Physical presence

Under Construction (Improvements to Make)

  • Puck handling
  • Discipline

NHL Potential

L’Heureux’s skillset could make him a very valuable and well-rounded player at the NHL. He has the ability to hurt you on the power play while also playing a shut down role on the penalty kill. He has the potential to play in a top-six role with the possibility of even seeing top line minutes if his development goes well.

Risk- Reward Analysis

Risk- 3.5/5, Reward 4/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense- 8/10, Defense 7.5/10

Awards/ Achievements

In 2019-20, L’Heureux was named to the QMJHL All-Rookie Team while tallying 53 points, the most by a rookie that season.

CHL

Zachary L’Heureux’s Statistics

Videos

https://twitter.com/paulgb_/status/1282677991802363904?s=21