On Saturday, the Tampa Bay Lightning were able to re-sign Tanner Jeannot to a two-year, $2.67 deal. This news came to the relief of many Lightning fans as Jeannot recently filed for salary arbitration.
HEEEEERE'S JEANNOT
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) July 15, 2023
We have signed restricted free agent forward Tanner Jeannot to a two-year contract worth an average annual value of $2.665 million.
📝: https://t.co/d71YjRM8S5 pic.twitter.com/gjMAHJ7mcn
The re-signing is huge for Tampa Bay because they gave up a lot to get Jeannot in a Lightning uniform. Back in February, the Bolts traded with the Nashville Predators to get Jeannot in exchange for five future draft picks and defenseman Cal Foote. The haul given up by Tampa showed how truly invested they were in him.
He averaged right around 11 minutes and 55 seconds on ice per game with Tampa Bay. This is probably less than what many thought he would play considering just how much the Bolts gave up for him. However, the plus/minus suggests that there is much to improve for him next season.
And with the re-signing after the arbitration hearing, it is clear that both sides (Jeannot and the Lightning) want to be all-in on his game this next season.
Jeannot adds to the Lightning’s deep rotation on the wings. This contributes to a high-power offense they can have in 2023-24. Jeannot is now included on team of wingers that also has Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Brandon Hagel, Mikey Eyssimont and Conor Sheary who is a former Washington Capital the Lightning signed in free agency.
Jeannot definitely can get it done offensively. He has showed it earlier in his career. During the 2021-22 season with the Predators, he finished with 41 points (24 goals and 17 assists) in nearly a full season of hockey. He also had a plus/minus of +2 during that year.
In a first NHL season before where he only played 15 games, he had five goals in that span and even more impressively he had a plus/minus of +6 during that time in Nashville.
A full season in Tampa Bay may do Jeannot some good in getting back to his regular form prior to trade talks he was involved in. If it does, he will be a valuable asset to a dangerous looking wing rotation the Bolts are putting together.