Montreal Canadiens’ Tanner Pearson exits game against Buffalo with upper-body injury

The Montreal Canadiens announced that forward Tanner Pearson would not return to tonight’s action against the Buffalo Sabres.

Pearson took a shot off the right hand early in the first period and left the game in discomfort, he ultimately was ruled out for the night during the intermission; Pearson logged 2:50 of ice time.

Pearson has notched four goals and four assists for eight points in 26 games this season since being acquired via trade from the Vancouver Canucks.

The Kitchener, Ontario native appeared in 14 games during the 2022-23 campaign and registered one goal and four assists. This new injury could cause some major concern as Pearson had been out of action for some time last season after undergoing a second-hand surgery that caused controversy around the Canucks brass in how they handled the injury.

Pearson was selected No. 30 overall in the 2012 NHL Draft by the Los Angeles Kings and won a Stanley Cup in 2013-14, where he played a pivotal role and registered four goals and eight assists for 12 points in 24 playoff games. Pearson was dealt to Pittsburgh in 2019 and was then sent to the Canucks. The 31-year-old has tallied a total of 137 goals and 143 assists for 280 points in 616 career NHL games spanning 12 years with the Kings, Penguins, Canucks and Canadiens.

While Jim Benning was still General Manager in Vancouver, Pearson signed a three-year, $9,750,000 contract extension with the Canucks in April 2021. The contract carries an average annual value (AAV) of $3,250,000 and a seven-team no-trade clause. He is in the final year of the contract and will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.