Pearson, 21, has spent the last three seasons at the University of Maine, serving as captain as a sophomore and junior and totaling 78 points (37-41-78), a plus-18 rating and 132 penalty minutes in 107 games over three seasons (2016-19). In 2018-19, Pearson notched a collegiate career-high 29 points (16-13-29) and ranked among Maine leaders with 16 goals (1st), 13 assists (3rd), 29 points (2nd), a plus-21 rating (1st), two game-winning goals (T2nd), five power-play goals (1st) and 99 shots on goal (2nd). He also ranked 14th overall in conference scoring and tied for fifth in goals, notching 20 points (10-10-20) in 22 games in Hockey East play. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound forward was also second on the team in scoring in 2017-18 with 27 points (7-20-27) in 37 games and was named to the end-of-year America East All-Star Honorable Mention team and All-Academic Team.
Originally drafted by the Red Wings in the fifth round (140th overall) of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Pearson spent two seasons with the Youngstown Phantoms of the United States Hockey League prior to his collegiate career, logging 76 points (24-52-76), a plus-42 rating and 157 penalty minutes in 114 games from 2013-16. The Alpharetta, Georgia, native also represented the United States at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge, tying for second on the team with six points (2-4-6) in five games. His father, Scott Pearson, played 292 NHL games with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Quebec Nordiques, Edmonton Oilers, Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders during a professional career that spanned from 1988-00.
