7:30 PM: The team announced that Pearson has undergone successful hand surgery and that he will miss the next four to six weeks.
2:30 PM: The Vancouver Canucks have placed Tanner Pearson on injured reserve after leaving last night’s game. The team did not give any indication of how long he will be out but has recalled Sheldon Dries in his place.
There are likely Canucks fans out there excited about getting Pearson out of the lineup, given how poorly he has played so far this season. The 30-year-old has just one goal so far and has taken eight minor penalties, many of which have come in the offensive zone. The team has been outscored 13-6 with him on the ice at 5v5, and he has generated just 17 shots on goal in 14 games.
That kind of performance from a player that is supposed to be one of the team’s veteran leaders has been disappointing, and now he ends up on the sideline for a stretch. After calming some of the chaos around the team with a few good efforts, a 5-2 loss against the Montreal Canadiens has frustration building again in Vancouver.
Dries, 28, has actually played four games for the Canucks this year, registering a single point. The minor league veteran will likely bounce back and forth throughout the season, filling in whenever necessary but rarely playing long stretches.