Just off Anna Maria Island in Tampa, Nashville Predators forward Zach L’Heureux was on the verge of catching the fish of his dreams.
As an amateur angler growing up outside Montreal, L’Heureux dreamed of catching the goliath grouper, one of the largest recreational fish in the world. Now, on a boat in the Gulf of Mexico, he was as close as he’d ever been.
With five of his closest friends watching, something took his bait. He sprang to action.
“As soon as they bite, they flip over and give you this one big toss,” L’Heureux said. “If they hit a rock, your line snaps and you’re screwed. You’ve got to be able to hold it at the start and flip them over.”
The fish flipped, grinding and flapping against the line, but L’Heureux held strong. The weight of the fish was immense – surely it was a goliath – and the line tensed more. For a moment, the line slacked and he thought the fish was gone. But then the weight returned and he reeled in whatever was on his line.
After a couple minutes, a 150-pound goliath grouper emerged from the water.
“I have a video of me actually reeling it in. When I finally got it in, I was so pumped,” L’Heureux said. Then, as L’Heureux posed for a picture with his friends, their fishing guide delivered a humbling blow to the moment.
“Oh, that’s just a baby,” the guide said, laughing.
Goliath grouper can grow to up to 8 feet in length and 800 pounds, so the guide wasn’t wrong. But that didn’t stifle L’Heureux’s excitement, who’d never caught anything that big.
“It was a trophy fish for me, so I was happy,” he said.
What Zach L’Heureux said about Predators rebounding in 2025-26
Trophies are common in hockey, but the one everyone wants isn’t a fish. The Stanley Cup, a prize that has eluded Nashville for their first 26 seasons, is always on everyone’s mind, even in training camp. As the Predators begin the 2025-26 season, they know the Cup is the goal, even if it feels like a difficult one.
Last year, the Predators finished third worst in the NHL and were out of the playoff race by March. L’Heureux and others know they have a long way to go, but they are confident the Predators, with a fresh start and a new defensive lineup, will bounce back this season.
“I’m thinking we will be competing (for the playoffs) again,” L’Heureux said. “You try not to worry about (last year) … but you do try to keep it as motivation.”
L’Heureux, 22, scored five goals and 10 assists in a bottom six role for the Predators last season. His puck skill was slow to get going, but his reputation as an agitator was noticeable from the start. On Dec. 31, L’Heureux committed a slew-foot on Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon, an act that cost him a three-game suspension.
Entering 2025-26, L’Heureux is hoping to moderate his aggression and be more of an impact at the offensive end.
“I’ve showcased my skill and what I’m able to do, I just want to show that I can improve now,” L’Heureux said.
Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex at jdaugherty@gannett.com. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.