Last summer, Tanner Jeannot looked like the kind of bet that could haunt a front office. Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney handed him a five-year deal worth $17 million, with a $3.4 million AAV, and the reaction around the league was immediate.
On paper, it looked expensive. At the time, it was easy to see why people viewed it as one of the NHL’s rougher contracts.
A year later, though, Jeannot gave the Bruins exactly the kind of season nobody had penciled in.
Working in the bottom six under first-year head coach Marco Sturm, Jeannot settled in fast and became a player Bruins fans embraced. He finished the regular season with six goals and 16 assists, just one assist shy of his career-high of 17 set in 2021-22 with the Nashville Predators. He appeared in 77 games and averaged 12:39 of ice time per night.
His value went beyond the box score. Jeannot brought the kind of physical edge that made opponents think twice, and Boston used him in a protection role when youngster Matthew Poitras was called up. That setup paid off in a memorable way, with Jeannot scoring a goal in the Stadium Series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The bigger question now is what comes next offensively. Jeannot’s production was better than many expected, and there’s at least a case to be made that there’s more in his game than people assumed when he arrived in Boston.
He carried that into the playoffs, too. In the Bruins’ six-game first-round series against the Buffalo Sabres, Jeannot averaged 11:25 per game and chipped in a goal. He also put nine shots on net, a total that stood out and added to the sense that his offensive game may be more underrated than it first appeared.
For a signing that once looked like a problem, Jeannot turned in a season that changed the conversation.
In Other News...
Bruins Opening Night Picture Already Looks Brutal For Three Roster Hopefuls
Bostons offseason has already featured a few moves from Don Sweeney, but the roster picture still feels unfinished with training camp approaching. There is still a sense that more changes are coming before opening night, and that uncertainty has put a few fringe names in a tougher spot than they were a few weeks ago.
Among the players feeling that squeeze are Mason Lohrei, Alex Steeves and Henri Jokiharju, all of whom face an uphill climb to stick when the Bruins settle on their opening-night group. Steeves could be pushed out if Boston adds more youth or makes another move, while Jokiharjus case is complicated by a season in which he spent too much time on the sideline, leaving the Bruins with reasons to keep looking elsewhere as the roster continues to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Fans Have A New Reason To Watch This Week Closely
The leagues schedule release is coming into focus next week, and for Bruins fans it brings the usual mix of anticipation and calendar-watching. Opening night games are set to be announced July 15, with the full 2026-27 slate following on July 16, a reminder that the seasons shape is about to get a lot clearer for both Boston and Providence.
There is also a bit of roster housekeeping already underway. The Bruins brought back forward Riley Duran on a one-year, two-way contract, while the Providence Bruins have their home opener circled for Oct. 2 against the Utica Comets. Add in the broader league news cycle, including the latest on Chicagos Connor Bedard, and this is one of those stretches where a few updates can quickly change how fans read the months ahead. [Read more 🡒]