Tanner Jeannot made contact with Vancouver star Brock Boeser's chin with an open ice hit last night. The play was reviewed, and Jeannot's night was over. The Kings were saddled with a five-minute major, which burned them once. The Canucks ended up winning the game 4-2, having the empty net goal, with the major power goal playing a massive factor in the game.
Today will shed more light on Jeannot's situation. He is almost certain to see suspension since the play will be automatically reviewed to determine whether it is suspension-worthy. As of this morning, Jeannot will have a hearing with the Department of Player Safety.
The sequence immediately impacted the game and potentially cost the Kings a shot at first place in the division early in this season.
His history is relatively clean, though he was fined in 2022 for kneeing Ottawa's Brady Tkachuk during his time in Nashville. Jeannot would forfeit 2000$ for the incident.
The fact that Boeser did not return to the game will only fuel a swifter and more precise result to the incident. The Kings will likely be without their rugged forward for at least two games.
Jeannot was brought in part of the push GM Rob Blake called "getting uncomfortable," which was grittier and more physical. The physical forward has played his part in matching that energy thus far. The hit to Boeser was gritty but unsafe.
The hulking Kings forward's absence will open up an opportunity for a player to be called up due to the looming suspension and the absence of the day-to-day Alex Turcotte.
It will be curious to see who gets the nod from Ontario, as reinforcements from their Inland Empire reserves are not as deep as they once were. Something also to keep in mind is the health of Mikey Anderson, who took a puck to the side of the head, leaving a grisly pool on the ice. Anderson did not return to the game.
With a suspension looming and another potential injury, the strapped-for personnel team must tighten their work boots moving forward.