Forward Tanner Jeannot, acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning, has had his ups and downs in his NHL career. He started on fire with the Nashville Predators and put up some impressive numbers. After being traded to the Lightning, he struggled with offensive production. Now he is with the Los Angeles Kings, and he is exactly what type of player they need.
Kings’ Jeannot looks to rebound with offense
For the most part, he was seen as a player who could play a physical game and produce offensively. He did that in Nashville, but disappeared with Tampa Bay. Now that he is with the Kings, he has a chance to recapture that magic and be a force in the lineup.
The Kings have their scoring with Anze Kopitar, Quinton Byfield, Adrian Kempe, Trevor Moore, and Kevin Fiala. They have defensive players like Philip Danault and Akil Thomas. With the addition of Jeannot, they have the perfect complement to each of those players in one body. He brings size at 6-foot-2 and 208 pounds. He plays a physical game and can fight. He adds secondary scoring. He can play anywhere in the lineup and on special teams. His game is similar to that of Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand as he brings a lot to the lineup, although not as elite.
With him in the lineup, Los Angeles has many ways that they can use him, as he is a versatile player. His speed is also a weapon, causing him to break free into the offensive zone or close gaps in the defensive end on the opposition forwards. Although he only has one goal in seven games, his impact is felt on the physical end as he has 25 hits in those games. He has averaged 178 hits per season during his career.
The Kings were missing grit, size, physicality, and secondary scoring, and Jeannot checks all of the boxes. Will he regain that scoring touch and be a 50-point player? Maybe, maybe not, but he can impact the game in other ways. His job is to set the tone by any means necessary and what comes after that is a bonus. The Kings have added a player that fits their style and it will be telling how far he can take them, he already has a playoff hockey tone to his overall game.
(photo: lakingsinsider.com; Zach Dooley) (photo: lakingsinsider.com; Zach Dooley)
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