For Tampa Bay, the re-signing is significant since Jeannot’s Lightning uniform came at a great cost. In order to acquire Jeannot, the Bolts made a trade with the Nashville Predators back in February, sending defenseman Cal Foote and five future draft picks in return. Tampa’s haul demonstrated how much of an investment they had in him.
He participated in 20 games with the Lightning in 2022–2023 and finished with 4 points (one goal and three assists). His plus/minus was -6 as well.
With Tampa Bay, he played on the ice for roughly 11 minutes and 55 seconds on average each game. Considering how much the Bolts gave up for him, this is certainly less than what many predicted he would play. The plus/minus, however, indicates that he has a lot to work on for the upcoming season.
Furthermore, it’s evident from Jeannot’s resigning following the arbitration hearing that the Lightning and Jeannot intend to fully support Jeannot’s game in the upcoming campaign.
Jeannot increases the Lightning’s wing-mounted deep rotation. This helps them develop a high-powered offensive in 2023–2024. Along with Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Brandon Hagel, Mikey Eyssimont, and Conor Sheary—a former Washington Capital that the Lightning signed in free agency—Jeannot is now a member of the group of wingers.
Offensively, Jeannot is undoubtedly capable of succeeding. Earlier in his career, he demonstrated it. In almost a full hockey season, he ended with 41 points (24 goals and 17 assists) during the 2021–22 Predators campaign. During that year, he also had a plus/minus of +2.
He scored five goals in 15 games during his first NHL season, and even more astonishingly, he had a plus/minus of +6 while he was in Nashville.
Jeannot might benefit from a full season in Tampa Bay to regain his previous level of play before the trade discussions. If it happens, he will be a great addition to the Bolts’ potentially lethal wing rotation.
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