What to know about Tanner Jeannot, the Nashville Predators' fighting rookie forward

Nashville Predators forward Tanner Jeannot has become a fan favorite early in his career with a bevy of dropped gloves and goals.

If Jeannot is on the ice, something is often happening.

The 24-year-old had a short stint at the end of last season, making his way into the lineup as the Predators made the playoffs and lost to Carolina in the first round. In his first full season as an NHLer, Jeannot's stock is rising.

Here's what you need to know about Tanner Jeannot.

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Tanner Jeannot is a fighter

Tanner Jeannot is not necessarily the designated "fighter" a la what many teams had back before recently, but opposing players continue to accept fights with Jeannot.

Jeannot is tied for the NHL lead in fights with 10, including a first-period tussle with Dallas Stars' Radek Faksa in Thursday's win.

It is a massive jump from his 15-game stint in 2020-21, where Jeannot did not drop the gloves and had just two penalty minutes. This year, his PIM is 92.

As the Tennessean's Predators beat reporter Paul Skrbina asks with every fighting major: Why do people continue to try to fight Jeannot?

He has some skill, too

Jeannot has 22 goals in 67 NHL games, which averages out to about 27 goals in a full season.

Not bad for a rookie.

"When you think of a power forward, you think back in the history of the game, and power forwards, a lot of them were big, strapping, fast, could hit, could fight, could score," Predators coach John Hynes said in November. "He has that element to him."

Protecting Jeannot over Calle Jarnkrok, others in Seattle expansion draft

Jeannot 15-game stint in 2020-21, as a part of the 'Herd' line, helped convince Predators GM David Poile to protect the 24-year-old in last summer's Seattle Kraken expansion draft over several veteran forwards, including Ryan Johansen, Matt Duchene, Nick Cousins and Calle Jarnkrok.

For Johansen and Duchene, they were left unprotected as large contracts and known names dangled in front of a new franchise with salary cap space. But the decision to protect Jeannot over Jarnkrok, a trusted and productive bottom-six center with a $2 million salary who had just turned 30, was much more difficult. The decision, and a question about it directed to Poile, produced the quote of the offseason from Poile.

"With all due respect, you don't know as much as I know," he told reporters.

Undrafted to rookie of the year candidate

Jeannot was not drafted into the NHL but did sign an entry-level deal with the Predators in 2018 after a point-per-game season with the WHL's Moose Jaw Warriors in 2017-18.

After being in and out of the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals' lineup in 2018-19, Jeannot earned an every-day spot in the lineup in 2019-20 before the COVID-19 pandemic halted the season. The Preds would partner with the Chicago Wolves in the AHL for an abbreviated 2021 season, and Jeannot shined with 10 goals and 21 points in 13 games before getting the

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: What to know about Tanner Jeannot, the Nashville Predators' fighting rookie forward