With the Kings not expected to offer winger Tanner Jeannot a new contract, he’s expected to hit the open market on Tuesday with teams looking for extra grit being likely to show interest. It appears that the Senators will be one of those as Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reports that Ottawa is expected to pursue Jeannot in free agency.
Jeannot was one of the bigger surprises in the NHL back in 2021-22. In his first full NHL season, he wound up collecting 24 goals and 17 assists along with 130 penalty minutes and 318 hits in 81 games, earning the 28-year-old a seventh-place finish in Calder Trophy voting. All of a sudden, it looked like Nashville had a key power forward of the future in the mix.
But things didn’t go anywhere near as well the following year as his output dropped to just 14 points in 56 games. Nonetheless, Tampa Bay still believed in him, sending the Preds draft picks in the first five rounds (including the 23rd pick last night, one that was moved in a trade-up swap) to acquire Jeannot’s services.
The change of scenery didn’t boost his scoring prowess as Jeannot had just four points in 20 games down the stretch in 2023 and then followed that up with just seven goals and seven assists in 55 outings in 2023-24. While the physicality was still there, the offensive touch certainly wasn’t. Needing to clear cap space last summer, the Lightning moved Jeannot and his $2.665MM contract at the draft last year for second and fourth-round picks.
Once again, the change of scenery didn’t yield an increase in production as Jeannot posted seven goals and six assists along with 89 penalty minutes and 211 hits in 67 games while logging just 11:01 per night. As a result, he’s going to be entering the open market with teams now viewing his breakout year as the outlier, not necessarily a sign of things to come.
After that 24-goal rookie year, Jeannot has managed just 20 in the three seasons since combined, making him more of a fourth liner than an impactful middle-six piece. As a result, he didn’t earn a spot on our Top 50 UFA list. After playing on a bridge deal the last two seasons, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Jeannot effectively get another one as it would be difficult to see a team making a longer-term commitment to someone whose production has been so limited lately. But with a lot of teams looking for added grit, Jeannot should nonetheless have a solid group of suitors next week with the Sens appearing to be one of them.
That was the worst decision of Brisebois’ tenure. But he also hired Jon Cooper. That alone more than makes up for the blunder.
Love Jeannot’s game but were those 24 goals a product of the 32 team expansion?
Can’t wait until Atlanta, Phoenix, Austin, Houston, Sante Fe, and Mexico City get the green light. And with Tampa and Florida pulling in fans we should probably award/reward Orlando and Tallahassee (Warthogs) a team
You seem rather bitter about this. Why are you against the NHL growing and creating more jobs for hockey players, coaches, trainers, announcers, etc……?
See Youngblood
And get a sense of humour