The Los Angeles Kings have acquired forward Tanner Jeannot from the Tampa Bay Lightning, per Chris Johnston of The Athletic (Twitter link). In return, Tampa receives Pick 118 in this year’s draft and L.A.’s second-round pick in 2025, per Tracey Myers of NHL.com (Twitter link). The move has since been confirmed by the team.
This trade quickly succeeds Mikhail Sergachev’s move to the Utah Hockey Club. The two moves combine to free up $11.165MM in cap space, massively supporting Tampa’s pursuit of franchise centerman Steven Stamkos. It also quickly succeeds Tampa’s acquisition of Jeannot, which came ahead of the 2023 Trade Deadline, with the Lightning acquiring the winger for Callan Foote and one pick in each of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth rounds.
Jeannot recorded 24 goals, 41 points, and 130 penalty minutes in his rookie 2021-22 season with the Nashville Predators. But he’s struggled to find that same spark since, totaling just eight goals and 18 points in 75 games with Tampa Bay between last season and this season. With the Lightning facing a cap crunch that may cost them the face of their franchise, they’ve been forced to accept defeat – winning back less than half of the assets they gave up for Jeannot.
But while the trade may illicit soul searching on Tampa’s end, it stands as a low-cost, high-upside move for the Kings. Jeannot carries a low-stakes $2.665MM cap hit – setting him up well to fill the girtty, high-energy bottom-six forward role left open by Carl Grundstrom’s trade to the San Jose Sharks. The Kings have used Grundstrom’s grit to good effect, and could be getting a more dynamic iteration in Jeannot, who shows much more drive down the ice and confidence on the puck. Los Angeles will be searching for any boost they can receive after a middling 2023-24 campaign, though the gritty style that’s led Quinton Byfield to success could also be exactly what Jeannot needs to rediscover his groove.
They did what they needed to do to keep Stamkos. And erased a really bad trade as well.
Not sure this move “erased a really bad trade”….
It’s as good as they could reasonably do. They’ll never recover all those picks.
I guess he adds some grit to the lineup, not sure if he’s worthy of a 2nd rounder though…
@dm867 — He would be, *IF*. If he can get over this injury bug that keeps biting him in the ass.
I like it for the fit for the kings. What’s the record for picks moved for a single player…?
This move was expected for TBL. I like Jeannot & wish him the best.
There were few people on these boards saying “no one” would want Jeannot. Yeah, shows how little those people know.
TBL got probably a better than expected trade gaining a 2025 2nd round pick & a 2024 4th round pick. Apparently, according to reports, LAK were interested in Jeannot for some time.
more than i expected to get in a Jeannot trade although i think he’s better offensively than he demonstrated for us.
I agree on both accounts as I’m pleased with what we got back in the trade. I do think as well Jeannot can be better offensively as he showed it in Nashville but for whatever reason it just didn’t materialize in Tampa for him. I felt Tampa wanted him to be a Pat Maroon type guy but that’s not exactly Jeannot’s style. Maybe he’ll rediscover his game in Los Angeles.
Gave up too much, but it does make us tougher.
Great add for L.A. at minimum cost the other way. Another solid (recent) move by Blake.
#GoKings
Color me in the minority here. If we are realistic we are not a Stanley Cup contender or even close. In our division alone we aren’t beating Vancouver, Edmonton or Vegas so we’re fighting for a wild card spot against the like of Nashville etc. Chances are poor.
Our next window opens in 2026-27 Kopi is gone Drew is gone. We need assets for that time. The kids we’re drafting are 18-19 years old and will be maturing by that time. Why trade assets like 2nd round picks for guys who are fair to good hockey players when the potential for a “better” player (who fits our timeframe) could be available.
We will most likely be a lottery team next year with the potential at a top pick (that includes subsequent rounds also, especially the round 2 sent to Tampa for a one-year rental. Also the worse we are in the next few years makes us a better team in the future as we get better draft capital.
Blake and Luc are just trying to save their jobs, making moves that make no sense except to make a better mediocre team. He trade with MTL for assets (good trade) and sends to Tampa for rental not a good move… Bye Rob
Vegas & Edmonton are on the verge of being in shambles next season… finishing ahead of those teams is not far-fetched by any means.
And no shade here, but the Kings are a ‘lottery’ team next year? ~O_o~
Just how bad do you think the Kings are right now? Worse than; Chicago, San Jose, Anaheim, Utah, Seattle, Calgary? (lets not forget the other conference teams that will be on the bottom)
Kings are still a Playoff/WC slot contender as is… I mean, is everyone banking on Kuemper being worse than Talbot?
Sure, the lights may be growing dim on the Blake/Robitaille era, but we’re not falling thru the floor anytime soon, (which is what earns you ‘lottery’ status). We’re not that bad of a team, and no, we’re not making a run at a Stanley Cup either, this is just another holding pattern that ALL teams have to endure from era-era until you can find that magical roster to take you all the way.
#GoKings
Minimum? It should have be a conditional 2nd rounder if the Kings sign him to an extension next year! Otherwise Blake got fleeced for a 7 goal scorer, considering TB needed to dump salary!
Come on, you know we didn’t bring him in to score goals…
Was Tanner’s rookie season a fluke, or was last season a low point in his early career? I guess we’ll find out.
We didn’t get fleeced… how many picks are busts anyways, especially with the current sentiment that LA has TERRIBLE development?
It’s ok if you don’t agree, but I think it was totally worth it and low risk for a much needed and established physical power forward that we’ve been lacking since Jordan Nolan.
And Martin Gelinas had quite the career, as did Jimmy Carson, so to say we gave up less in the Gretzky deal is asinine.
Cheers….
#GoKings
This is way too pessimistic of a view on next year and the team as a whole. While I’m not as confident coming into the season as I was last year, still plenty of potential to be a mid-range playoff team (at least). Sign a couple of middle-six wingers that can score and maybe i’d even upgrade that estimate.
Having said all of that, if this year goes poorly then I wouldn’t have a problem trading away some talent to reset in 2027.
Kings gave up less for Gretzky… except for the $15 Million! And I thought they gave up too much! February 26, 2023: Traded by the Nashville Predators to the Tampa Bay Lightning for 1st round draft pick in 2025
Top 10 protected, 2nd round draft pick in 2024, 3rd round draft pick in 2023, 4th round draft pick in 2023, 5th round draft pick in 2023 and Callan Foote. I can only hope he turns into the next Marty McSorely!