Canadiens: Whose Spot Does Tanner Pearson Take?

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When Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes shipped out Mike Hoffman and Rem Pitlick over the summer, he appeared to be clearing the logjam at the forward position to open up some spots for the influx of young talent coming up the pipeline.

So understandably the news that the Canadiens had acquired 31 year old winger Tanner Pearson from the Vancouver Canucks has been met with some confusion. Pearson is on an expiring contract which makes him a prime candidate to be flipped at the trade deadline for more futures, especially if he can bounce back to his mean after an injury plagued season.

So while it’s no doubt a nice bit of business by Hughes to add another tradable asset as well as an extra third round pick to the draft stable, the question of where Pearson fits into this lineup has introduced more layers of intrigue to an already highly anticipated training camp.

Taking into account the subtraction of goaltender Casey DeSmith, who was dealt away in the Pearson trade, and the temporary omission of Christian Dvorak and Chris Wideman due to injuries, I believe the Canadiens will now almost certainly carry 14 forwards to start the season.

There are ten of them I consider to be locks to be on the game sheet for the season opener in Toronto on October 11th. They are Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Kirby Dach, Brendan Gallagher, Alex Newhook, Josh Anderson, Sean Monahan, Tanner Pearson, Rafael Harvey-Pinard and Juraj Slafkovsky.

I’m also not expecting any of the younger forwards who are entering their first full year of professional hockey to make this team. Hughes and Jeff Gorton have shown great patience thus far and I suspect they will let their prospects marinate in Laval as long as possible rather than rush them to the NHL before they are ready to fully contribute. As a result, I consider the chances that players like Sean Farrell, Joshua Roy or Owen Beck make the final 23 a long shot at best.

MONTREAL, CANADA – NOVEMBER 15: Montreal Canadiens. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /

On The Bubble

Working under those assumptions, the guys that get pushed closest to the edge of the bubble following the Pearson acquisition are the ones that were already there to begin with, namely Jesse Ylonen, Michael Pezzetta, Jake Evans and Joel Armia.

With newcomers like Emil Heineman and Lias Andersson already gunning for them before Pearson came on board, now there is one less spot available and the heat on those players to perform in these next few weeks will be turned up that much higher.

As Hughes values asset management above all, I believe Ylonen is a safe bet to be at worst the 14th forward. He did enough last year to prove that he can fill a role in the bottom six right now and still has potential for additional growth. Ylonen also need to clear waivers to be sent down and I don’t think the Canadiens would risk losing him for nothing.

I also feel like Pezzetta will find a way on to this team. He is better suited to play an energy role than any of his peers and he brings some sandpaper to a lineup that still sorely lacks it. Like Ylonen, he’s a perfect candidate to be a spare forward because he would also likely not make it through waivers. He’s a glue guy who sticks up for teammates and is loved in the dressing room. I doubt that will go unnoticed around the league if he is made available.

I sense that while the pressure is on for Evans to step up his game, his versatility gives him an edge to be there opening night too. His first month will be uber important however as the return of Dvorak in November could render Evans more expendable if he hasn’t shown his worth up to that point.

Armia can still be a solid veteran presence on the fourth line and contribute on the PK but his job seems less secure than ever and his contract makes him unlikely to be claimed if he was put on waivers. If the Canadiens can manage his cap hit, they can bury him in the minors to make room for a more deserving player.

Apr 8, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Montreal Canadiens forward Joel Armia. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /

How It Could Play Out

Here’s how I see things shaking out from the domino effect of Pearson’s arrival. I believe Andersson will be in direct competition with Evans for the 4C role. If the Swede cannot outplay the incumbent Evans in camp and preseason, he will be sent down. If Andersson does win the job, Evans could still make the roster as a winger, pushing a guy like Armia off the list.

I also believe Heineman has a very good chance to force his way on to the club. If he does it would also likely come at the expense of Armia. However, Heineman has to really show out and seize his opportunity. If he looks to be only a marginal upgrade, he will likely go back to Laval for now as he still has waiver options.

A third scenario, one in which both new Swedes win their respective camp battles by a wide margin, would bring more chaos and force the Canadiens brass into some tougher decisions. Under those circumstances, I personally think Hughes and Gorton would prioritize Evans and Ylonen over Pezzetta.

This year more than ever feels like one where there could be some plot twists. The Canadiens have more talent at camp than they have had in a long time and talent breeds competition. The Habs could very well lose a decent player or two, simply because they have too many decent players. Decisions on defense and goaltending can also affect the forward group and vice versa.

If you were hoping that current whipping boy Armia was finally going to get shown the door, I think for once it is a very real possibility. At this point, I would say it’s probably the most likely outcome. It won’t end there though because with so much talent on the way up, the competition for those who remain is only going to get tougher.

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