Back in 2023, the Nashville Predators were floundering under Head Coach John Hynes, and they moved some assets to try and recoup some value to build towards the future. One player dealt was Tanner Jeannot.
Jeannot had burst onto the scene in 2021-22 with a 41 point season which featured 130 penalty minutes. His 2022-23 season was not matching up to those standards, but he was still playing a heavy, and reletively effective game. He was clearly the kind of player that a team wants to lock in for a long playoff run, and getting him at 25 with some term left on his contract is a move that makes GMs look like geniuses.
The Predators eventually pulled the trigger on an offer from the Tampa Bay Lightning, one that made the Predators much richer and one that didn't quite work out for Tampa. A fan on Reddit did a breakdown of this as well, which you can see here.
The Lightning gave up Cal Foote, 2023 3rd round pick, 2023 4th round pick, 2023 5th round pick, 2024 2nd round pick, and 2025 1st round pick for Tanner Jeannot. They paid that for 75 games and 18 points from Tanner Jeannot. One of David Poile's last moves as general manager was a complete fleecing of the Lightning. Or was it? Let's break down what each piece has become.
Cal Foote
Welp, vegetables first on this one. He was acquired by the Predators, and then not tendered by the team, who were unimpressed with his 24-game stint with the club. He signed with the Devils after that, then moved on to Russia and then was caught up in one of the biggest scandals to ever rock Hockey Canada. Whoops.
Tampa Bay 2023 5th Round Pick
This didn't stay with the Predators for long. It was swapped to Detroit along with the Predators' own 2nd round pick to move up to the Canucks 2nd round pick. With that pick, they took Felix Nilsson, a Swedish forward who spent the last season playing pro in the highest Swedish league. No idea if he'll become an NHL'er or AHL'er, but he's in the system.
Tampa Bay 2023 4th Round Pick
Common theme developing, the Predators traded this pick. Ironically, it was back to the Tampa Bay Lightning. In return, they got the Chicago Blackhawks' 4th-round pick in the 2024 NHL draft.
That would become Jakub Milota. The left-handed catching goalie is still just 19 and heading into his 3rd year in the QMJHL. After playing for the Cape Brenton Eagles, he'll take over netminding for the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.
Tampa Bay 2023 3rd Round Pick
The Predators actually kept this pick. With it, they chose Dylan MacKinnon. MacKinnon was building a reputation as a two way defenseman with really good defenvisve zone instincts and a developing offensive game.
Sadly, that offensive game seems to have never developed. After some disappointing junior seasons showing a lack of offensive growth, Mackinnon and the Predators never came to a contractual agreement. MacKinnon is now a free agent.
Tampa Bay 2024 2nd Round Pick
Another draft pick, and another one dealt away. This one went to the Detroit Red Wings, along with Jesse Kiiskinen in exchange for Andrew Gibson.
Gibson is a really good-looking prospect. He's been a very productive junior player and has great size (6'4" 210) for the league. He looks ready for the big time and we'll be seeing him in the pro ranks very soon.
Tampa Bay 2025 1st Round Pick
Stop me if you've heard this one, but the Predators swapped this pick out. This one went with an additoinal pick to the Ottawa Senators so that the Preds could hop up a few places in the draft.
The player they took was Cameron Reid. Reid is a highly ranked defenseman and should be a part of the Predators plans sooner rather than later, but he still needs another year or two before we see him in pros.
So, maybe it wasn't a fleecing, based on the organization's current decisions. In all likelihood, this trade tree is going to grow even more from this point on, and we'll have to update this. However, it is nice to see that there is a return waiting in the Predators' future.