While the Kings are relatively healthy heading into their first-round matchup against the Edmonton Oilers, forward Tanner Jeannot remains out week-to-week, per Mayor’s Manors. It appeared Jeannot hurt his ankle on a no-contact injury while setting up to block a shot in March 25th’s win over the New York Rangers, and he’s been out of the lineup ever since. He has not begun skating and isn’t expected to play in the first round.
Jeannot scored seven goals and 13 points in 67 games on the season but served the Kings well as a physical presence on the fourth line, where the 6’2″, 220-pounder produced 211 hits. In 294 career games, Jeannot has delivered 1,083 hits, good for a 3.7 average per game. However, the 27-year-old has never been able to match the offensive production of his rookie year during the 2021-22 season, when he scored 24 goals and 41 points.
He also hasn’t been able to produce much offensively in 16 career playoff contests, where he’s produced just three assists and a minus-nine rating. However, he has showcased his physicality with 65 hits in those contests while averaging 13:04 of ice time. His return would provide the team’s bottom-six with a high-energy presence that can change the momentum of a game.
In his absence, rookie center Samuel Helenius and depth winger Jeff Malott have received more minutes. Helenius produced seven points in 50 regular season games but also doled out 150 hits in his rookie campaign. Malott produced well in the AHL this season, scoring 51 points in 61 games, but only secured one assist in 12 NHL games on the year.