Nightmares can be followed by sweet dreams. Tanner Pearson woke up Friday to good vibes and a contract with the Vegas Golden Knights.
The 32-year-old Pearson was able to call his wife Meaghan at their home in Kitchener, Ont., and begin the process of reuniting their family.
Pearson has been living in a hotel during Golden Knights training camp while his wife and two kids remained in Canada. Vegas brought Pearson to camp on a professional tryout (PTO) with no promise of a contract. His excellent play and character led to Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon offering a one-year deal at $775,000.
The last two seasons have been miserable for Pearson. During the 22-23 campaign, while a member of the Vancouver Canucks, Pearson injured his hand which led to three surgeries and a lost year. Last season, as a member of the Montreal Canadiens, Pearson broke both his hands and endured more frustration.
When no contract offers came his way this offseason, his agent was able to arrange a tryout with Vegas. The hope was that a full summer of training would get him back to where he was prior to an onslaught of injuries.
Pearson has been excellent skating mostly on the left side of a fourth line with Brett Howden at center and Keegan Kolesar on the right. A Stanley Cup champion with the Los Angeles Kings in 2014, Pearson has scored two goals and three points in the preseason while posting an impressive plus-four rating.
Vegas head coach Bruce Cassidy has been impressed with Pearson’s hockey sense.
“Tanner has done all the little things. He’s a guy who has played in the league and he has some offense too,” said Cassidy. “I’ve liked the way he’s played and he is a character person as well.”
Pearson has played in 644 NHL games scoring 138 goals and 147 assists.
