why tanner jeannot should be considered for the calder trophy
By: Harrion Dupree
The NHL’s current season had brought numerous surprises to the league. Rookies have gotten even better than last year’s class, making the Calder Trophy race a tight one. If you don’t know what the Calder is, it is the trophy awarded by the NHL to the most proficient rookie in their first season of competition. Names in the hat include Trevor Zegras, Lucas Raymond, Moritz Seider, and others. One name that gets overlooked is Tanner Jeannot of the Nashville Predators. Jeannot has had a career year with the team and has led them to many victories. Let’s see how he holds up with the others and investigate why he should be in the race.
Let’s begin with the big factors, starting with points. Now, Jeannot is 5th in rookie points with 40 not bad for a fourth liner. The four others that lead over him are Bunting (53), Raymond (52), Zegras (50), and Seider (44). Of those 40 points, he is tied for 12th in assists with 17. Most of his points come from goals with 23 on the season, the current leader in rookie goals. Jeannot isn’t just an offensive presence, he brings defense to the table as well. Jeannot is a strong physical presence on the ice. Tanner is 2nd in the entire NHL in hits providing a strong backcheck to his team. That’s not the only thing, Nashville has the most fighting majors from a team this year (44), twelve of them are from Jeannot leading the league in fights for a single player. Six on the road and six at home. Finally, He also ranks second in penalty minutes with 110 minutes in 67 games.
While Jeannot may seem undisciplined at times, he has one of the best physical games in the league right now. This type of play has elevated the Preds to contending for a playoff spot. Jeannot fits very well in his team’s scheme being able to be tenacious on the forecheck and produce offensively. While Jeannot may not be flashy, his style of play is very interesting to watch and kind of old-school. His efforts have been able to keep him in the top 5 of almost every rookie category and top 5 in the entire league for some other categories. Jeannot is a very well-rounded player that can handle the puck in any style of play. His tenacity and grit, while still being successful on the fourth line for Nashville is why I think he shouldn’t be out of this race. Sure, someone else will probably win but it’s interesting to see a different light on a player who doesn’t get enough press. Jeannot has a bright future ahead of him and regardless is one of the bright spots in this year’s rookie class.