Pearson, 23, skated in 28 games for the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins in 2020-21 and matched his first-year offensive totals with the team in 31 fewer games, totaling 22 points (8-14-22). The second-year pro ranked among team leaders with eight goals (4th), 14 assists (T3rd), 22 points (3rd) and two power-play goals (T3rd), while logging only two penalty minutes. He capped off the season on a four-game point streak, having racked up 11 points (4-7-11) over the team's final 10 games. Pearson has appeared in 97 games since making his pro debut at the end of the 2018-19 season, notching 46 points (18-28-46) and 23 penalty minutes.
Originally drafted by the Red Wings in the fifth round (140th overall) of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Pearson spent three seasons at the University of Maine from 2016-19 prior to turning professional, serving as the team's captain as a sophomore and junior. In 107 games at the NCAA level, the 6-foot-2, 201-pound forward registered 78 points (37-41-78), a plus-18 rating and 132 penalty minutes. He was named Hockey East's Best Defensive Forward and was a Hockey East Second-Team All-Star in 2018-19. Pearson also played parts of three seasons with the Youngstown Phantoms in the United States Hockey League from 2013-16, totaling 76 points (24-52-76), a plus-42 rating and 157 penalty minutes in 114 games. The Alpharetta, Georgia, native also won bronze for the United States at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge, chipping in six points (2-4-6) in five games.
