Joe Sakic played and won a Stanley Cup with Claude Lemieux.
If anyone appreciates a teammate who plays on the edge — and in the playoffs occasionally crosses it — it’s the Avalanche general manager.
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That’s why it should come as no surprise that Sakic, just days after acquiring Zachary L’Heureux from Nashville, said the Avalanche could have used a guy like that in the playoffs last year.
No one questions the skill on the Avalanche. But some do question if they can grind it out against certain teams in April, May and June.
That’s something you’ll never question about the 23-year-old L’Heureux.
“(I’m) pretty gritty, high energy,” L’Heureux said. “I like to think I’m a pretty responsible two-way forward, but (I’ve) got some offensive instincts. Just in-your-face hockey. Some nights can be a little sleepier for everybody. How can I bring some energy, bring the guys back into games? I just think I can bring a little bit of that energy factor that we were missing sometimes.”
Avalanche forwards Zachary L’Heureux, Parker Kelly, and Logan O’Connor run drills during practice in Centennial on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026
(Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)
The Avalanche got a taste of L’Heureux’s energy in his season debut against Winnipeg. He didn’t play a ton coming off a lower-body injury. But he was noticeable, registering five hits and three shots on goal in just over 8 minutes of ice time while spending a lot of time around the net and staying disciplined.
That last part, fair or not, will be a talking point for the rest of L’Heureux’s career because of his past.
Since 2019, L’Heureux has been suspended 13 times, with nine of those coming over four seasons playing in the QMJHL. He was a prolific scorer in major junior as well, picking up 190 points in 167 career games. Combine the skill with his grit and it’s easy to see why the Nashville Predators selected him in the first round in 2021.
The suspensions have declined significantly since turning pro for L’Heureux, with just four taking place over the last three years. Still, it’s a hot topic when it comes to the young forward. It would be understandable if he was sick of being asked about it. It’s entirely possible he is.
But when asked, he’s more interested in talking about the growth he’s made to avoid some of the situations he put himself in the past.
“I think just maturity, learning from situations,” L’Heureux told The Denver Gazette. “When you cross the line numerous times, at one point you got to look at yourself in the mirror and be like, ‘it’s time to switch, it’s just time to think a bit harder.’ I think having that 2, 3 seconds after something occurs to think of your actions, I think that’s something I’ve gotten better at where it’s less of a spontaneous response, more of a controlled response. I think that’s just something with time, with age, I’ve come to deal with and learn with.”
But you don’t acquire a player like L’Heureux to neuter what makes him effective. Jared Bednar has noted L’Heureux may have more offense than given credit for when you look at his AHL production, but a big reason the Avalanche brought him in is because he plays on the edge.
And the player isn’t going to change everything that helped get him this far, which is a good thing.
“I’ve said since I got here, I’m going to make mistakes, I’m going to go over that line again,” L’Heureux said. “It’s just really finding the right times to do it and not putting my team in jeopardy or hurting the team in big, crucial moments. I think I’ve done a great job and keep working (at it).
“I think there’s certain areas where I may throw a big hit every now and again and get interference call or something like that, but I feel like that’s something they expect me to do and they can deal with if I do get myself in trouble.”
In order for L’Heureux to play the game the Avalanche know he must play to be effective, he will occasionally end up in the penalty box. That’s the cost of doing business with a player like that, much like we see with Josh Manson on the blue line.
Can the Avalanche, a team that values discipline, live with that? As long as he continues to show growth like another player who arrived in Colorado with a reputation, they can.
“We’re aware of his past, just like you guys are. It’s no different, really, he was a more veteran guy at the time, like (Kadri) when he came,” Bednar said. “Now you look at (Kadri), and he still kind of plays on the edge at times, but he’s a disciplined guy. He wants to win.
Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri (91) prepares for a faceoff against the Minnesota Wild during the third period in Game 5 of the second round of the NHL playoffs Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at Ball Arena in Denver. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)
“He’s matured into knowing when he has to play physical and play with grit and when he can kind of tone that down a bit. He’s not as reactive as he was when he was a young guy. We’ll just watch (L’Heureux) play and we’ll have discussions on when we think he needs to dial it back a little bit or when he needs to ramp it up a little bit, but I don’t like to prejudge guys. It’s a different culture, it’s a different locker room, it’s a different team.
“He’s maturing daily and we’ll see where he gets to in his game and have our conversations from there.”
What I’m hearing
Ilya Nabokov picked up a shutout in his first professional start for the Eagles. Probably bad timing on Trent Miner’s part with the injury, but Bednar said he was improving when training camp ended. Still doesn’t seem to be a clear timeline on his injury, which means Nabokov will see a lot of starts in the meantime. “When (Miner) left here, he was already doing some work on the ice,” Bednar said.
Bednar said it wouldn’t necessarily be T.J. Hughes coming out of the lineup when Logan O’Connor returns, but it’s the most logical move to make. Fedor Svechkov looks good and L’Heureux makes sense in a bottom-six role. Hughes can go to the AHL without waivers and the Avalanche are not accruing a ton of cap space at the moment for the trade deadline. Unless he lights it up against Calgary, which could happen because the Flames are bad, I’d expect him to go to the AHL for more seasoning.
What I’m seeing
We’ve seen Nazem Kadri on the wing but haven’t seen Brock Nelson there. It might be worth switching those two and seeing if that works better.
The Utah Mammoth look awfully dangerous early in the season. The Central Division is not getting easier.
What I’m thinking
It was only a select few, but Toronto media calling out 18-year-old Gavin McKenna for not taking part in optional skates is absurd. Going from playing 42 games in a season to 84 is a lot, so I imagine the organization is telling him to take it easy a bit. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
We saw Connor Hellebuyck win the Hart Trophy a few years back. Is Igor Shesterkin next? He’s been their best player for years, and if they manage to sneak into the playoffs after an awful year, he should get consideration.