Tampa Bay Lightning acquire Tanner Jeannot from Nashville Predators for Cal Foote, five draft picks

Boy, that escalated quickly. Less than 24 hours after Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that the Nashville Predators were "open for business" and that Tanner Jeannot may well be available, he's on the move to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Bolts have acquired the 25-year-old bruising power winger in exchange for defenceman Cal Foote, a 2025 first-round pick, a 2024 second-round pick, and 2023 third-, fourth-, and fifth-round picks. Yes, you read that right.

Jeannot return is Cal Foote, First in 2025. Second in 2024. Third fourth and fifth in 2023.

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) February 27, 2023

Jeannot burst onto the scene last year from relative obscurity, going from a surprise part of the Predators' protected list ahead of the Seattle Kraken's expansion draft to an integral part of their forward corps. He finished the season with 41 points in 81 games and picked up the seventh most points in the Calder Trophy voting.

Tanner Jeannot, traded to TB, is a physical third line forechecking forward who takes a lot of penalties. Out-of-nowhere finishing touch last season has been nowhere to be seen this year. #GoBolts pic.twitter.com/Fwr5e5oSHD

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) February 27, 2023

Now, he's heading to Tampa for a relatively young defenceman and a collection of picks that falls just two short of an entire year's worth. To think, Jeannot commanded that sort of return in a down year with only 14 points in 56 games as of this writing. The newest Lightning forward is a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights, too.

It's a compelling move on the Lightning's part, no doubt about it. Meanwhile, the Predators have turbo-charged their rebuild with a series of staggered draft picks, two premium selections among them. Perhaps they can get something out of Foote that the Lightning couldn't, too.