LA Kings player who must be traded soon

The Kings traded for Tanner Jeannot back in the summer. He arrived after an incredibly disappointing stint with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Jeannot showed promise with the Nashville Predators, scoring 24 goals in a season not long ago. However, he did not carry this form over to Tampa Bay.

Los Angeles saw enough to justify parting with a second-round pick as part of the package to the Lightning. The idea behind the move is not entirely off base, to be fair. Getting Jeannot out of Tampa Bay could allow the winger to play without the weight of massive expectations. Giving up two draft picks, one of them high, is steep but it could pay for itself in the end.

Unfortunately, that has not happened. Jeannot has played 35 games in 2024-25. In that time, he has scored five goals and eight points for the Kings. To be fair, this does place him on a better pace than his 14-point 2023-24 campaign. However, it’s still an underwhelming performance offensively.

Jeannot is a free agent at the end of this season. His contract carries a cap hit of $2.6 million for the remainder of the year. This is certainly a lot to pay for a player who contributes little offensively. However, it’s a movable contract. And Jeannot does contribute quite well defensively. He allows the second-fewest Goals Against Per 60 Minutes at all strengths among Kings forwards, according to Evolving Hockey.

The defense could certainly lead Los Angeles to retain him. In saying this, this is a team that could use more offensive punch. Moving Jeannot could create the necessary roster spot to acquire a more offensively inclined winger. Additionally, the Kings could double up, acquiring an offensive winger and a defense-first forward in the event Jeannot is traded.

Of course, this all depends on whether the Kings decide to bring Jeannot back for 2025-26. His offense has not justified a contract extension. And Los Angeles is firmly in win-now mode. Adding quality depth is needed this team if they want to achieve their goals.

There could be a market for Tanner Jeannot if he’s made available. He could be of interest to rebuilding teams who are hoping to add players who could protect their younger stars. This is a role the Kings forward could serve quite well. And it could give him a chance to rebuild his value on a team with no expectations.