‘Reliable’ vet goes from training camp tryout to Knights’ top line

The Knights have cycled through options at first-line left wing since Ivan Barbashev suffered an upper-body injury Dec. 15, creating an opening next to center Jack Eichel and captain Mark Stone.

Pearson, 32, has proven to be an ideal choice.

The Knights have outshot teams 20-6 and outscored them 3-0 since the trio was put together Jan. 2 in the third period of the team’s win over the Philadelphia Flyers.

Pearson has three points — one goal, two assists — in that span.

The 2014 Stanley Cup champion has been a bargain for the Knights. He came to training camp on a professional tryout agreement and has scored 18 points in 40 games since making the team.

His impact on the first line has helped the Knights win three straight since a 3-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on New Year’s Eve.

“The Montreal one wasn’t the finish we wanted. That’s not our style of hockey,” Pearson said. “That was a focus point for us.”

Victor Olofsson and Pavel Dorofeyev — two proven scorers — were the first two players coach Bruce Cassidy tried on the top line when Barbashev was hurt.

Those two have been good players for the Knights this season, but something was missing. Barbashev — despite being tied for the team lead with 15 goals — isn’t just on the top line to be a scoring threat. He’s willing to go to the front of the net and cause havoc on the forecheck. That way he can win the puck back for Eichel and Stone and give the two more room to operate in the offensive zone.

Olofsson and Dorofeyev don’t do the same things. Pearson does. He wins battles along the boards and fights for loose pucks to make sure the Knights maintain possession.

“That’s been his calling card since he’s found himself in the league,” Cassidy said.

Eichel said everyone who’s filled in on his line has brought something unique to the table. He and Stone have been able to survive’s Barbashev’s absence just fine. Eichel has four points the last three games, while Stone has five.

That production is at least in part a credit to Pearson.

“He has a bigger body, not blazing speed, but good IQ and good enough composure to get pucks off,” Cassidy said. “Tanner has good enough hockey IQ to know when to give it up to the middle.”

Cassidy said he made the switch during the Flyers game because he felt Olofsson wasn’t getting the puck to Eichel in the right spots. Cassidy was going to move Olofsson back to the top line for Saturday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres, but Olofsson was out due to an illness.

Pearson was given an opportunity and played well enough to hold down that spot on the first line. He’ll likely stay there when the Knights host the New York Islanders on Thursday.

“(Pearson) has been awesome for us all season,” Eichel said. “He’s got some good skill and he makes good little plays. You know what you’re going to get from him every night. For a centerman, he’s so reliable and he works so hard. It’s great to see him get rewarded.”

Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.