NHL Trade Rumors: 3 Teams Linked To Tanner Jeannot

Tanner Jeannot has found his name on the rumor mill this summer, as the Tampa Bay Lightning need to clear out some cap room, and may well have to move on from the fourth-line forward who has struggled since arriving on the Suncoast of Florida late in the 2022-23 season. He's entering the final year of his deal on a $2.665 million cap hit.

The latest word has three teams being linked to Jeannot:

San Jose Sharks

A young team still at the very early stages of its all-out rebuild, this could be a good landing spot for the gritty forward. As noted by insider Nick Kypreous of Sportsnet, "it makes more sense for a young team to acquire him than a contending team with only a fourth-line position open".

Certainly, Jeannot can play a bigger role, bringing his hard-nosed brand of hockey to the Sharks, and setting an example for the youngsters—while protecting them at the same time.

Chicago Blackhawks

Pretty much the exact same scenario here, as the young and rebuilding Blackhawks could make use of the bruising Jeannot, perhaps even as a little (a lot of?) protection for Connor Bedard? When he was last given a vital role in a team's middle-six, Jeannot, as a rookie, recorded 24 goals and 41 points for the Nashville Predators a couple of seasons ago, while also dishing out 318 hits.

Buffalo Sabres

This is a team at a much different phase of their rebuild — another season out of the playoffs next year would be a huge disappointment for Buffalo. The brand of physical game that Jeannot brings would be a boon to the sometimes too-timid Sabres.

Jeannot has averaged 273 hits per season in his three full campaigns in the NHL. He won't back down from anyone, as also evidenced by his 314 penalty minutes over that time. The 6'2", 208 pound forward would add just the kind of toughness the Sabres are looking for to add to their otherwise talented group.