The Tampa Bay Lightning have made a huge splash, acquiring another inexpensive, versatile forward to try and help them reach the Stanley Cup. Nashville Predators forward Tanner Jeannot has been sent to the Lightning in exchange for a massive trade package. The Predators will receive:
- Cal Foote
- 2025 1st round pick (top-10 protected)
- 2024 2nd round pick
- 2023 3rd round pick
- 2023 4th round pick
- 2023 5th round pick
Jeannot, 25, comes to Tampa Bay as he finishes up a two-year contract that carries an $800K average annual value. That nearly league-minimum salary is exactly why the Lightning had to pay so much, and continues their trend of acquiring players with team control. Jeannot will be a restricted free agent this summer and though he has a strong case to land a hefty raise through arbitration, will help improve the Lightning for more than just the next few months.
A breakout star last season with the Predators, the physical forward scored 24 goals and 41 points as a rookie, while racking up 318 hits. The hitting remains this year but the offensive production has dried up, with just five goals so far for Jeannot in 2022-23.
It will be interesting to see if that goal-scoring touch returns in Tampa Bay, as the draft haul they gave up makes a lot more sense if they are acquiring the player from last year. The Lightning have continued to fill out their lineup with gritty, in-your-face players that can still contribute, and if Jeannot returns to his past form he may be the best among them.
Still, it is a massive price to pay for a player who has struggled this year. The Lightning now don’t have a pick in 2023 until the sixth round, and won’t select in the first round until 2026 at the earliest, assuming no other moves. “Win now” is the name of the game with this group, but it will be an impressive experiment to see just how long they can keep the window open.
The Lightning scouting and development team has been excellent at finding diamonds in the rough, but even they will be hard-pressed to refill the cupboard with just a handful of late-round picks in play.
For the Predators, a sell-off like this on the day they announced David Poile’s upcoming retirement is quite something. Jeannot was an undrafted, homegrown prospect that the program can be proud of, especially now that he’s turned into a massive return. If they can pull off a few more deals like this, new GM Barry Trotz will be set up for success.
Dave Poile straight collecting picks like Pokémon. What a gamble by Tampa.
This is more than San Jose got from NJ for Meier
Cap hits matter. Meier has a $10million qualifying offer coming. Jeannot will cost less than $2million next year.
Not with Timos cap hit…
Cap hits matter, sure. But this isn’t a game of Monopoly. It’s hockey, and favorable financials don’t matter worth a damn unless the players with the team-friendly contracts *can actually play the damn game.* Major trophy winners in recent years have changed hands for a lot less than the Lightning forked over for a guy who’s had exactly one good season.
Unless Tanner Jeannot is like a Russian nesting doll & has four or five other better hockey players living inside of him, this deal looks hilariously bad for Tampa.
Well articulated
I know there’s a thumbs up button, but this post is great!! Laughed out loud reading it!
Well said!!
Imagine what the leafs could get for bunting considering he’s pretty similar contract but UFA after so wouldn’t be as much but still
certainly an overpayment , I’m okay with it though. apparently they were in a bidding war with the leafs and our offer was more enticing. JBB has a history of overpaying to get the guy he wants and I’m extremely eager at the thought of Jeannot in this lineup. Bolts management has confidence this team can continue to compete for years , to hell with the picks it seems ! Also hope Foote can break through in Nashville. He was never going to crack the lineup full time and I’ve honestly never been impressed with his play , perhaps with more opportunity he can blossom. bolts are all in again !
Why couldn’t you guys have gotten Sam Lafferty for Foote plus instead?
great question, wouldn’t have been upset with that by any means but what’s done is done. now I keep fingers toes and eyes crossed this pans out. Maybe they’re hoping surrounded by some better talent he can be the player he was his rookie season. if not he’s still got some great skills to bring to the team , doesn’t change the fact we gave up a kings ransom though.
Easily one of the worst trades I have ever seen. It’s hilarious how much the 2019 first round traumatized them into overpaying for bottom 6 players.
Good Grief. That is insane.
The former Bruins goon, John Wensick, had a 28 goal season once. Never got near that number again. I fear Jeannot will be more like that as his career goes along.
Chris Simon had a 29 goal year once, also. Yeah, there’s a lot of stories of goons who had their one good year, then couldn’t repeat it.
TROTZ BOMB
paying a Kings ransom for a 1 year wonder geez, im sure atleast 2 of those draft picks or Foote will turn out to be more valuable
I guess I’m biased…
If one of the 31 other GMs did this: $&@$&@!!
If it’s Julien BriseBois: ‘Well, I guess we’ve got to trust him. Guy knows what he’s doing’
Overpay but if you are the Lightning it is all about this year & next year.
Any chance JBB knows more about hockey players than anyone on this site? Nah…
Having hockey knowledge hasn’t precluded a desperation move by GMs in the past. I refer you to George McPhee trading Filip Forsberg for Martin Erat as an example. Or Brian McLellan trading Jakub Vrana, Richard Pannik, a 1st round pick ( Wyatt Johnston, who is now Dallas’ 3rd line center), and a 2nd rounder, for Anthony Mantha. Or Marc Bergevin trading Mikhail Sergachev for Jonathan Drouin. And there’s probably many more, if I was willing to dig.
And you know something? This isn’t brain surgery. Each and every one of us can see that the Lightning just forked over a First Team All-Star’s package for the 13th best scorer on a 5th place team, a kid who’s had exactly ONE good season. Feel free to HOPE that Jeannot can turn things around, but what, are you imagining he’s suddenly going to get time on Tampa’s #1 PP unit?
Is Brad Paisley’s guitar included, for that king’s ransom??? Yikes!
No doubt Jeannot will be better than Maroon at being physical/intimidating, but if Tampa’s Playoff run ends before Rd.3, this is becomes a complete BUST of a trade.
I wish you luck, Tampa.. and it’s all bad. lol.
Just what the doctor ordered, some grit with scoring ability. See how Jeannot works with Cirelli, Killorn or Paul on the third line. Foote was not going to be a factor in Tampa Bay and the draft picks are a crap shoot. My money is on JBB having some insight.