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2012 NHL Entry Draft Player Profiles: Tanner Pearson

Last time we tackled Nicholas Kerdiles in our Player Profile series; a product of the USNTDP and a projected power forward.

This time let’s go with a player who has more offensive upside to his game in Tanner Pearson.

the 6’0 198lb Left Winger from Kitchener, Ontario, Canada has been a bit of a nice surprise after being passed over in the draft two years in a row. Pearson’s stock sky rocketed this year as he found his offensive game putting up 37g 54a for 91pts in 60 games with the Barrie Colts this past season.

The left handed Pearson has very good offensive game; a very good shot, plus hockey sense and vision and is known to be a slick passer. However, Pearson’s speed and acceleration are not the greatest and need to be improved in order to get down the ice in transition and for a while will have more value as a PP shooter than 5 on 5.

Join me after the jump for more.

From Corey Pronman’s Top 100 Draft Prospects:

40. Tanner Pearson, Right Wing, Barrie-OHL

Pearson has been one of this draft season’s surprise stories as the winger entering his third draft eligible season skyrocketed towards the top of the OHL scoring race and grabbed the attention of scouts everywhere. Pearson is a gritty forward who works hard on the forecheck, doesn’t shy from throwing his body around, does good work in front of the net, and shows effort in his own end. While Pearson is 19 and turns 20 in August, his frame is somewhat filled and shows good strengths in his battles. He has a desirable offensive element to him, led by his high-end hockey sense. Pearson is a tremendous passer with eyes in the back of his head and can make tremendous feeds and consistently execute above-average ones. Pearson has average hands, maybe a tick above that, but does fine protecting the puck and getting his stick on pucks in front of the net. His main weakness is his skating, which is below-average and doesn’t look great off the line, but his top speed is okay although it could certainly be better. Due to his inability to be very effective in the transition game, Pearson projects as a better PP scorer than an even-strength one but will be effective defensively 5-on-5.

Once again…you can read all of Pronman’s prospect analysis here

From a close up on Pearson done by The Hockey Writers which you can read here

A player that can play up and down a lineup, Pearson is a complete forward. He has good size, skates well and competes hard every shift. He plays an effective two way game and has been lethal on Barrie’s powerplay this year.

“Lethal on Barrie’s powerplay this year” Man that sounds so good to me

A few closing thoughts and a video below.

While I don’t think Pearson is as well rounded as Nicholas Kerdiles is; but he does have the size and offensive ability to make an impact down the line for the Rangers if given a little time to develop in the system, a little more high risk than Kerdiles but with some more upside.

My semi-educated projection of Pearson? A top six offensive minded forward that is defensively responsible

A video:


Should the Rangers draft Tanner Pearson at 28?

Yes 20
No 39
Maybe 19

Talking Points