After a breakout season in 2021-22, Tanner Jeannot did not have the 2022-23 campaign he was looking for. With a fresh new contract and the opportunity to settle in with the Tampa Bay Lightning, the 26-year-old winger is looking to get back on track in 2023-24.
Jeannot burst onto the scene with the Nashville Predators, scoring 24 goals, 17 assists, and 41 points while racking up 130 penalty minutes two seasons ago. He looked like he was on his way to becoming one of the league’s best power forwards. Between his physicality and offensive touch, Jeannot impacted the game in one way or another every single night.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t build off his stellar rookie year and struggled mightily last season. Jeannot’s production fell off a cliff, scoring just 6 goals, 12 assists, 18 points, and 107 penalty minutes in 76 games. He was traded by Nashville to the Tampa Bay Lightning in February and scored just 4 points in 20 regular season games with the Lightning.
2023-24 is going to be an important year for Jeannot. He just signed a 2-year contract worth $2.665 million per season with the Lightning. He will almost certainly be playing a middle-six role and should be fully adjusted to playing for Tampa Bay now. Jeannot needs to prove that he won’t just be a one-season wonder.
The opportunity is certainly there for Tanner Jeannot to bounce back this season. His play style fits Tampa very well, he should play a significant role in the lineup, and he has the ability to be one of the league’s better power forwards. It’s just about putting it all together and being impactful on a nightly basis.
Jeannot is one of my favorite players in the NHL, so I certainly hope he is able to get back on track. His toughness and physicality, mixed with scoring and offensive ability, make him extremely fun to watch. He’s an old-school player in a league that seems to have fewer and fewer of them every year. I love power forwards, and I’m rooting for Jeannot to find success again.
I would love to see 20 goals, 40 points, and 100 penalty minutes from him this season. That would definitely constitute success. Any step in the right direction after the disaster that was last year would be good, but a return to his rookie-year form would be outstanding. Jeannot needs to prove he wasn’t just a flash in the pan and can consistently be an impact player. He has a great opportunity to do that with the Tampa Bay Lightning this season.
Tanner Jeannot is looking for a big-time bounce back in 2023-24. He’s a tough player with offensive upside and can actually play. He brings everything you could want physically while also being able to put the puck in the net. The NHL needs more players like him, and I hope one bad year doesn’t derail his career. I’ll be rooting hard for him to get back on track this season.
