Canucks’ Tanner Pearson to miss 4–6 weeks after undergoing hand surgery

Vancouver Canucks forward Tanner Pearson will miss the next 4–6 weeks while recovering from hand surgery, the club announced Thursday evening.

Pearson, 30, has one goal and five points in 14 games with the Canucks to start the 2022–23 NHL regular season. He’s signed through the end of 2023–24 at a $3.25 million cap hit.

After taking just 11 shifts and logging 6:17 of total ice time in Wednesday’s 5–2 Canucks loss to the Montreal Canadiens, Pearson left the game due to his injury and did not return.

The Canucks placed Pearson on injured reserve on Thursday afternoon. With his current injury timeline, he likely won’t be able to return until mid-December at the earliest.

Pearson is in the midst of his fourth season with the Canucks. He joined the team from the Pittsburgh Penguins via a mid-season trade in 2018–19 which saw Erik Gudbranson head the other way.

The Los Angeles Kings originally selected Pearson in the first round (No. 30 overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft. The 6’1″, 201-pound winger won the Stanley Cup with the Kings in 2014 before being traded to Pittsburgh in 2018.

In 590 career NHL games with the Kings, Penguins, and Canucks over parts of 10 regular seasons, Pearson has scored 133 goals and 272 points. He’s added nine goals and 23 points in 51 career playoff contests.