Tanner Pearson Bio
Tanner Pearson (born August 10, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger who currently plays for the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). Selected 30th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, he is best known for winning the Stanley Cup with the Kings in 2014, when he was only 21 years old. Over the course of his career, Pearson has also suited up for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks, Montreal Canadiens, and Vegas Golden Knights, establishing himself as a reliable middle-six forward valued for his scoring touch and physical play.
Early Life and Background
Tanner Pearson was born on August 10, 1992, in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, and grew up in the same southwestern Ontario city. He is the son of Tim and Kim Pearson, and he has a sister named Ali. Hockey was a constant presence in the Pearson household. His father worked for Bauer Hockey, one of the sport’s most recognized equipment manufacturers, while his sister Ali was involved with the Ontario Hockey League’s Kitchener Rangers, giving young Tanner a direct line into the game’s everyday culture and equipment knowledge.
That family connection helped Pearson take his first competitive steps in the sport. He began his organized junior career with the Waterloo Siskins of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League, playing Junior B hockey at 16 and 17 years of age. Although Kitchener had no major junior franchise of its own, the city’s strong local hockey scene and his family’s industry ties gave him a steady foundation in the game.
Path to Professional Hockey
Pearson was selected by the Barrie Colts in the 14th round, 237th overall, of the Ontario Hockey League Priority Draft, a late pick that did not immediately suggest a future NHL career. In his rookie season with the Colts, he played on the second and third lines and produced 15 goals and 42 points across 66 games, showing enough offensive instinct to earn a larger role. On November 19, 2011, he announced his arrival with a hat trick, including the overtime winner, in a 6–5 victory over the Ottawa 67’s, demonstrating the clutch scoring touch that would later define parts of his pro career.
During the 2011–12 season, Pearson finished third in OHL scoring with 37 goals and 91 points in 60 games and was named to the OHL’s Second All-Star Team, despite missing the end of the regular season and the playoffs with a broken fibula. He also represented Canada at the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, helping the team capture a bronze medal and becoming the first Canadian since 2005 to play at the tournament after being passed over in a previous NHL draft. That summer, the Los Angeles Kings selected him 30th overall, with the final pick of the first round, in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, and he signed a three-year entry-level contract on August 3, 2012.
Tanner Pearson Career
Early Career (2012–2014)
After turning pro, Pearson began his development with the Kings’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs, before being recalled in 2013 as one of the team’s ‘black aces’ for the Stanley Cup playoffs. He made his NHL debut on May 18, 2013, playing right wing on the Kings’ fourth line in a playoff game against the San Jose Sharks. He scored his first NHL goal on November 14 against Kevin Poulin in a 3–2 win over the New York Islanders before being returned to Manchester to continue his development.
The 2013–14 season was Pearson’s breakthrough. He returned to the Kings lineup and stuck for the duration of the run, helping Los Angeles defeat the New York Rangers to win the Stanley Cup on June 13, 2014. Pearson contributed 12 points across 24 playoff games during that championship march, a haul that cemented his place in the Kings’ organization and signaled the arrival of a young winger capable of producing on hockey’s biggest stage.
Los Angeles Kings Breakthrough (2014–2018)
In 2014–15, Pearson skated primarily alongside Jeff Carter and Tyler Toffoli on a line nicknamed ‘That 70s Line’ because all three wore numbers in the seventies. He was named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for October 2014, a sign of his instant chemistry with his linemates. A broken left fibula suffered on January 10, 2015, against the Winnipeg Jets cut his season short, but he still finished with 23 points in 63 games and signed a two-year, $2.8 million contract extension on April 2, 2015.
Pearson continued to grow into a top-six role with the Kings. After a four-game suspension in October 2016 for an illegal hit to the head of Edmonton’s Brandon Davidson, he returned by scoring four goals and six points in his next four games. In 2016–17, he set career highs with 24 goals and 44 points, then signed a four-year, $15 million contract extension on May 8, 2017. He played all 82 games in 2017–18, recording 15 goals and 40 points, but a sluggish start to 2018–19, with just one assist in 17 games, set the stage for a trade.
Pittsburgh Penguins and Vancouver Canucks Era (2018–2023)
On November 14, 2018, the Kings ended Pearson’s seven-year tenure by trading him to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Carl Hagelin. He debuted the next night against Tampa Bay, skating between Evgenin Malkin and Patric Hornqvist, and scored his first Penguins goal, along with his first assist, in a 5–4 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. He posted three goals in his first six games in Pittsburgh and finished his short Penguins stint with nine goals and five assists in 44 games.
On February 25, 2019, the Penguins flipped Pearson to the Vancouver Canucks for defenceman Erik Gudbranson. He made his Canucks debut in a 3–2 shootout loss to Colorado on February 27 and scored his first Vancouver goal against Darcy Kuemper the next night. In the pandemic-shortened 2019–20 season, he set a career best with 45 points in 69 games, highlighted by a four-point night in a 5–2 win over the Edmonton Oilers on December 1. He signed a three-year, $9.75 million extension on April 8, 2021, and posted 14 goals and 38 points in 68 games in 2021–22. A hand injury suffered on November 9, 2022, required multiple surgeries and forced him to miss the rest of 2022–23, limiting him to one goal and five points in 14 games.
Montreal Canadiens, Vegas Golden Knights and Winnipeg Jets Era (2023–Present)
On September 19, 2023, Pearson was traded to the Montreal Canadiens along with a 2025 third-round pick in exchange for goaltender Casey DeSmith, completing a cross-country move to one of the NHL’s most storied Original Six franchises. After his contract expired, he signed a professional tryout agreement with the Vegas Golden Knights on August 20, 2024, and converted that into a one-year contract on October 4 after a strong preseason that saw him record three points in four games. Following his lone season in Vegas, Pearson signed a one-year deal with the Winnipeg Jets on July 1, 2025, joining a contending roster.
Driving Style and Strengths
Pearson is widely regarded as a power forward who combines a hard, accurate shot with the willingness to drive the net and play through contact. He thrives in transition, using his 6-foot-1, 207-pound frame to win board battles and create space for linemates, and he has produced consistent secondary scoring across multiple line combinations. His best results have come when skating with skilled centres, a fit that has allowed him to focus on net-front work and quick-release scoring rather than playmaking.
Notable Events and Milestones
Pearson’s signature moment remains the 2014 Stanley Cup triumph with the Los Angeles Kings, when he emerged as a 21-year-old contributor in 24 playoff games. Other highlights include his November 2011 hat trick for the Barrie Colts, his 2012 World Junior bronze medal with Canada, and his career-best 45-point season in Vancouver in 2019–20, which cemented his value as a top-nine scorer.
Tanner Pearson Career Wins
Tanner Pearson’s most prominent team victory is the 2014 Stanley Cup, won as a member of the Los Angeles Kings during his first full NHL playoff run. He has also added a bronze medal with Canada at the 2012 World Junior Championships and posted multiple 20-goal regular seasons in the NHL, milestones that underline his consistent offensive production over a long professional career.
Los Angeles Kings Highlights
During his seven years in Los Angeles, Pearson helped the Kings capture the 2014 Stanley Cup, his only championship to date, while posting back-to-back seasons of 24 goals in 2016–17 and a full 82-game campaign in 2017–18. He also earned a second contract from the organization, a four-year extension signed in May 2017, reflecting the Kings’ belief in his two-way value.
Other Wins and Performances
At the junior level, Pearson earned an OHL Second All-Star Team selection in 2011–12 and helped Canada win bronze at the 2012 World Juniors, where he was the first member of Team Canada since 2005 to make the squad after being passed over in a previous NHL draft. In the NHL, he has produced 40-plus point seasons with both the Kings and Canucks, including a career-best 45 points in 2019–20.
Tanner Pearson Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Hockey runs through the Pearson family. Tanner grew up in Kitchener, Ontario, with his parents Tim and Kim and his sister Ali, all of whom were closely tied to the sport. His father Tim worked for Bauer Hockey, one of the game’s leading equipment manufacturers, while his sister Ali worked for the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers, giving Tanner a behind-the-scenes view of the game’s business and operations as he developed into a top prospect.
Personal Life
Tanner Pearson married his longtime girlfriend Meaghan Loveday in mid-2018, the same year he was traded from the Kings to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The couple has been a steady presence in his career as he has moved between five NHL organizations, and Pearson continues to be recognized as a dedicated family man off the ice.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025–26 campaign represents a fresh start for Tanner Pearson with the Winnipeg Jets, who signed him to a one-year contract on July 1, 2025. After a one-year stint in Vegas, Pearson joined a Winnipeg roster widely viewed as a Stanley Cup contender, giving him an opportunity to contribute to a deeper playoff run. His mix of power-forward play and reliable secondary scoring is expected to bolster the Jets’ middle six.
Early indications suggest Pearson is being deployed in a depth-scoring role, with the organization leaning on his experience from a 2014 Cup win to steady younger wingers. His ability to play on both special-teams units, particularly the second power-play group, gives the Jets additional flexibility as they chase sustained success in a competitive Central Division.
Looking ahead, Pearson’s 2025–26 outlook hinges on staying healthy and carving out a consistent role within a deep Winnipeg forward group. A productive season could open the door to a longer-term extension, while a strong playoff showing would further cement his reputation as a dependable postseason performer capable of elevating contending lineups.