The Lightning’s addition of Tanner Jeannot should not come as a surprise
By Jim Lynch
The Tampa Bay Lightning shocked a lot of fans around the NHL when they traded for Tanner Jeannot of the Nashville Predators on Sunday. While adding Jeannot was not that shocking, the cost the Lightning paid definitely was.
Tampa Bay sent Cal Foote, a 2025 first-round pick (top 10 protected), a 2024 second-round pick, a 2023 third-round pick, a 2023 fourth-round pick, and a 2023 fifth-round pick all to Nashville for Jeannot.
The deal leaves the Lightning with just three picks for the upcoming NHL draft, their own sixth and seventh-round picks, as well as the Ducks’ seventh-rounder. There is no denying this was a high price to pay for Jeannot, but when you are trying to do all you can to win another championship and extend the window of a dynasty, no price is too high to pay.
The Lightning’s addition of Tanner Jeannot should not come as a surprise
This is the textbook add the Lightning would make this time of year. They found a player on a good contract, that can play in the top nine as a two-way forward. Jeannot is someone they envision as a good role player on a championship team, the same way past-deadline acquisitions have helped them before. Sure, the price was ridiculously high, but this gives the Lightning help right now that they will need this postseason.
On last night's trade: "We have a really good group of players … my job, my responsibility as the custodian for this group is to sometimes take risks to maximize our potential return on this era. And that’s what I did last night. We’re taking a risk. A calculated risk." pic.twitter.com/I6V0QVOp11
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) February 27, 2023
Only issue for the Lightning has to be something that was announced on Monday. The Toronto Maple Leafs made another big trade acquiring Jake McCabe and Sam Lafferty from the Chicago Blackhawks.
This gives the Leafs even more depth as they try to claw their way out of the first round again this season. With the two teams destined to face off and sizing each other up, it will be interesting to see if Julien BriseBois does anything else to help his team out now. Although, it might be hard to make a move now with so few assets available to trade.
The Lightning and Maple Leafs play each other one more time this season on April 11, 2023, the second to last game of the regular season.