The Montreal Canadiens have announced that forward Tanner Pearson will be placed on injured reserve. Filling the open roster spot, the Canadiens have called up forward Emil Heineman. This comes after the 31-year-old played 27 games this season with the Canadiens.
Tanner Pearson Placed On Injured Reserve
Pearson, a 31-year-old left-winger, is in his first season with the Canadiens. To this point in the year, he had recorded eight points in 27 contests. This comes after logging 13:29 time on ice per game, filling a depth role for the Canadiens. This is unfortunate news for the veteran, who has been much maligned by injuries of late. In the 2022-23 season, he underwent three separate hand surgeries after an injury early into the season with the Vancouver Canucks. That difficult season ended with 14 games and five points.
Impact Of Losing Pearson
Tanner Pearson, as mentioned, played a depth role for the Canadiens this season. But despite that, he certainly made an impact on the ice. He is currently ranked sixth on the team in expected goals per 60 minutes, at 0.83. He was also 10th on the team in points per 60 minutes. Additionally, he was part of the second power play unit, where he was tied for third on the team for power play expected goals at 1.7, scoring two total points on the man-advantage. That being said, the Canadiens are losing a depth scorer who did an admirable job in a small role of pushing the pace of play. Hopefully, this won’t be the last of Pearson this season.
What Does Emil Heineman Bring To The Table
Heineman, a Swedish winger, has spent this season in the AHL. With the Laval Rocket, he has scored four points across seven contests. Last season, he split between the SHL and AHL. There he had 15 points in 35 games in the SHL. Then, he had nine points in 11 games at the AHL level. Drafted in the second round of 2020 by the Florida Panthers, Heineman was compared to Carl Hagelin by Last Word’s own Ben Kerr prior to him being selected.
Ben noted his 6’2” and 194 pound frame and strong skating ability. That’s paired well with a responsible defensive game, which is also a strength of his. With his offence finding some solid per game production in the AHL, it feels like there’s a chance for his offence to take that next step as well. Now, with a shot at the NHL, he gets a chance to prove how far he has come since draft day.
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