2012 NHL Draft Eligible Prospect Profile: Tanner Pearson – Barrie Colts

Photo courtesy of Aaron Bell / OHL Images

By Todd Cordell (@ToddCordell)

As we inch closer and closer to the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, I’ll continue to plug away at as many prospect profiles on the top draft eligible players from the Ontario Hockey League as I can. All of my 2012 draft eligible prospect profiles can be found at the bottom of the article.

Without further ado, here is my prospect profile on 2012 draft eligible forward Tanner Pearson of the Barrie Colts, who was passed over in the previous two NHL drafts.

Tanner Pearson
Age – 19
Position – Left Wing
Height – 6′ 0″
Weight – 192
Draft Projection: 32-40th overall
OHL Team: Barrie Colts
2012 Regular Season Statistics: 37 goals, 54 assists, 91 points, plus-21, 37PIM, 60 games played
2012 Playoff Statistics: N/A – suffered season ending injury in last game of the regular season
NHL Comparable(s) – Alex Steen, Clarke MacArthur
Upside – 7/10

Strengths – Pearson is one of the most well rounded forwards in the draft. He’s a pretty good skater who is very good off the rush. He has excellent vision, hockey sense and a really good feel for the game. He’s a very effective powerplay player, as well. When you give a guy with his vision and smarts extra time and space, he makes you pay for it. Pearson is not only a very good playmaker, but he has an underrated shot and is capable of putting the puck in the net, too, as his goal totals from the previous season show. Pearson is also good in his own zone. He’s very good at staying on his man, doesn’t blow coverage’s often and is quite effective on the penalty kill. He’s willing to work, and he gives everything he has in every aspect of the game regardless of the situation every night.

Weaknesses – I think the biggest weakness in Pearson’s game is just that he’s not really a dominant player in any area. He’s average or above average in almost every aspect of the game, but there’s not really a skill set he has that makes him far better than anyone else. I asked a scout what Pearson’s biggest weakness was and he echoed my thoughts “He doesn’t really have a major flaw in his game.” This same scout went on to say that his biggest weakness is that “he might not have huge upside”.

Career Projection – Second line (#2) Left Wing – Pearson is above average in many aspects of the game, but since he’s not really dominant in any particular area I don’t see him turning out to be an elite forward in the NHL. My projection for him is a good second liner or a very good third liner who can play in every situation and contribute at an above average level.

2012 Draft Eligible Prospect Profiles:

Scott Laughton – Oshawa Generals

Tom Wilson – Plymouth Whalers

Slater Koekkoek – Peterborough Petes

Cody Ceci – Ottawa 67′s

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