From Tempe to Tampa: Inside Jeannot’s trade to the Lightning

Just as the puck was set to drop at Mullett Arena, the Predators sent out a tweet announcing that Jeannot would not play in the game due to trade-related reasons.

“I didn’t know anything,” said Jeannot. “I took warm-up before the game like normal. Nino (Niederreiter) had been traded the day before, so there was a little bit of a sense that things may be happening, I guess. But I didn’t really expect anything to happen with me.

“I got pulled aside by the coach after warm-up and he told me that I wasn’t going to play for trade-related reasons. That’s kind of all I knew, even up until after the game when guys were getting back on the bus.”

Playing in only his second full NHL season, Jeannot had never been traded. The few hours of uncertainty were undoubtedly hard on the undrafted, 25-year-old winger, who had no clue where he was going to end up. 

“It was a pretty long wait,” Jeannot explained. “Then I got the call and found out it was Tampa. So, it was a tough wait after not playing in the game, but I was pretty excited to hear that it was Tampa and that I’d be getting to go to such a great city, great organization, and be a part of something really good.

“I’m still wrapping my head around everything. It just all happened so quickly. It was just the initial shock of getting ready to play a game and getting ready to go to war with your teammates, and then getting stopped like that and not knowing what’s going on.

“But then finding out that you’re going to such a great organization in Tampa, it definitely helps the blow of the news that you’re getting traded, when you’re going to such a great spot. So, like you said, it was a big swing of emotions. I’m still just trying to process everything and I’m just trying to get there as quick as I can and get things going there.”

Jeannot is a unique player in today’s NHL. He brings a physical presence to the table that not a lot of players across the league can offer. His 213 hits rank fourth in the NHL and his nine fighting majors are tied for the third-most in the league. As a rookie last season, he led the league with 14 fighting majors and has taken on some of the NHL’s top fighters. He also found the back of the net 24 times last year, leading all rookies across the league.

But the most attractive part of Jeannot’s game is pretty simple – he’s a complete pain in the neck to play against. And that’s exactly what the Lightning want come playoff time.

When Tampa Bay general manager Julien BriseBois held his mid-season media availability back in January, he was asked about potential additions at the trade deadline and said, “I think, generally speaking, I’d be looking at what makes us a harder team to play against. Help defend and make us a harder team to play against.

“That’s probably as specific as I can get right now.”

That’s exactly what the Bolts got in Jeannot, who will surely make life difficult for the opposition whenever he’s out on the ice.

“My route to the NHL has been a little bit different,” said Jeannot. “I’ve never been a guy that’s been drafted or been a highly touted prospect or anything like that, so I always had to fight and scratch and claw for my spot.

“Even going back to the WHL, I was an invite to the camp and just kind of had to work harder than everyone else to get noticed. That got me a spot on the team and I just continued from there.

“It’s seemed to work for me thus far, so that’s what I plan on continuing to do – just outwork the competition and help my team.”

When asked about the combination of Jeannot’s tenacity, speed and toughness on Monday, BriseBois said those were exactly the traits Tampa Bay wanted to add to their lineup with the postseason around the corner.

“Those are rather rare traits, but more importantly, they’re valuable traits,” said BriseBois. “They help you win. You need those guys in order to win.

“We saw it when we had that line of Goodrow, Coleman and Yanni (Gourde). They all played a similar style.

“None of them were as big as Tanner. None of them had the combination of size and speed that he has, but they made it unpleasant for the other team, and Tanner is really good at making it unpleasant for the other team.

“We already have a lot of scoring. We have one of the top offensive teams in the league. We have one of the top power plays in the league. Those aren’t areas we needed to address.

“What I thought we needed to address was to be a harder team to play against, to be a team that can win the hard-fought, tight-checking games come playoff time.

“And Tanner Jeannot is that guy. That’s how he plays. He plays in a way that helps you win those games.”

In exchange for Jeannot, who carries an $800,000 cap hit and will be a restricted free agent this summer, the Lightning sent Cal Foote, a first-round pick in 2025, a second-round pick in 2024, as well as third, fourth and fifth-round picks in 2023, to Nashville on Sunday night.

In Jeannot’s eyes, the package that Tampa Bay sent to Nashville to acquire his services gives him some added confidence in knowing the value that BriseBois and his staff see in the big winger.

“I think it’s definitely a good thing and it gives me confidence in myself that I’m going to a place that gave up some things to get me,” Jeannot said. “I don’t know if many people in Tampa know the route I’ve taken to the NHL, but just the way I’ve kind of came up, I just try to work hard for the people that give me a shot. That’s what Tampa’s doing here.

“They’re putting lots of confidence in me and they’re giving me shot on their team. I’m just going to try to do everything I can to bring success to the organization and to all the guys there. I just want to make everyone proud and have great success.”

When the Bolts acquired Nick Paul at last year’s trade deadline, one thing he mentioned was how great his new teammates were at reaching out, welcoming him and helping him get settled in a new city. Jeannot said he’s already heard from multiple teammates after receiving a slew of text messages from members of the Lightning roster following the official announcement of the trade Sunday night.

He’ll already have a familiar face ready to greet him when he arrives in Tampa as Jeannot was junior teammates with Brayden Point for two seasons with the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors.

“There’s been quite a few guys that have reached out,” said Jeannot. “Ryan McDonagh was obviously on the team in Nashville, and he gave my number to quite a few of the guys.

“They were all texting me. I think they were on the plane last night and so was I, so there were some quick messages, but it’s really nice that they’re all reaching out and making me feel welcome already. That was really good.

“As for Pointer, I can’t say enough good things about him. He’s an awesome guy. He was a great leader back in Moose Jaw. That was back in the day now, but I mean, as you guys have seen firsthand, his work ethic and his career has been speaking for itself. He was definitely always a guy I looked up to for his work ethic and things like that, so I try to bring that every night as well.”

Jeannot said he hasn’t had too many in-depth conversations about what his role will be with Tampa Bay, but he did have a few brief chats about what the team sees in him as a player.

In speaking with Jeannot, one thing that stuck out was a sense of loyalty and pride. With the Lightning giving up the assets they did to acquire him, he wants to step in and show he was worth the price tag.

“We had some brief conversations,” Jeannot said. “I think what I need to bring is what I am as a player. That’s what they saw in me when they traded for me, so that’s what I’m going to try to bring.

“I think that can be different kinds of aspects depending on the night. I try to read the play the best I can and do whatever I can to help the team. That could be if the team needs a spark and I need to go out there and play physical, play fast, be hard to play against.

“It could be a fight if the time comes or if I need to stick up for a teammate or something like that. That’s something I can do.

“Like you said, last year, I was able to put the puck in the net pretty successfully, so I just try to go out there and do everything I can. I’m always trying to be a threat out there and do something that helps the team win, whether it’s offensively, defensively, on the PK, being physical, whatever it is. That’s my only goal is just help the team.”

That team was the Predators. Now, it’s the Lightning. That excites Jeannot, a player that is looking forward to the opportunity of pursuing what every hockey player dreams of – winning the Stanley Cup.

“Anytime you’re going to a team that has the potential to be a Stanley Cup contender, it’s very exciting,” said Jeannot. “Just to have the opportunity to play that meaningful hockey and get to play at the highest level and the highest stages is what every hockey player dreams of doing.

“You dream of winning the Stanley Cup. To come into such a great team and organization and having a shot to do that, that’s what’s really exciting me right now and I can’t wait to get it going.”

It’s still very, very early. As of 5 p.m. ET on Monday afternoon, Jeannot hasn’t even touched down in Tampa, let alone play in a game. So, there’s still a long way to go.

With that being said, Jeannot seems to have a fair amount of confidence that his time with the Lightning could very well go beyond the 2022-23 season.

“I think so, definitely,” said Jeannot when asked if he could see himself signing a deal to stay in Tampa beyond this season. “You can’t say enough good things about this organization, just with the success that they’ve had alone.

“I’m really looking forward to just getting there and meeting everybody and getting acclimated to the group and everything like that. It’s going to be really exciting times.

“I mean, they put a lot of confidence in me in trading for me. I’m a loyal guy and I like to work hard for those that put their confidence in me. I can’t say right now what’s going to happen. I haven’t talked about any of that stuff yet.

“My focus right now is getting there, getting settled in and getting my family settled. Then, the hockey starts up and we can talk things through from there.

“But yeah, it’s definitely a spot that I can see myself being.”

Beyond the hockey, I had to ask Jeannot how he felt about making the move to the Sunshine State.

“Oh yeah, the sunshine’s going to be nice, for sure,” said Jeannot with a laugh. “I don’t think there’s anyone that doesn’t like that.

“I love being on the water. I love being on a boat or fishing or golfing – all things like that.

“I just like to be outside in the sun, so it’s going to be great coming there, for sure.”

The water, sunshine and a whole bunch of Bolts fans are all waiting for Jeannot to arrive. He’s set to touch down in Tampa on Monday night, ahead of Tuesday’s contest against the Florida Panthers. If Jeannot makes his debut on Tuesday, it sure would be fitting in a game against the Lightning’s intrastate rival, where there has been no shortage of intensity over the years.

Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET at AMALIE Arena.