Over the past two seasons Chase Pearson has shown nice growth within the Detroit Red Wings organization, blending size and skill.
He was re-upped for one year Thursday, continuing a relationship that began when he was drafted at No. 140 in 2015. Pearson is the only player left in the organization from that draft; the others all have washed out.
Pearson, who turns 24 on Aug. 23, recorded eight goals and 14 assists in 2020-21 with the Grand Rapids Griffins, matching his production from 2019-20. But last season he did it in 28 games, compared to 59 the previous season, and he improved his rating from minus-9 to plus-3.
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“He did really well in GR this year,” general manager Steve Yzerman said in July. “I think he made a significant step.”
Pearson (6 feet 2, 209 pounds) could compete for the fourth-line center spot.
“If he’s the right fit for that, if he’s the best man for the job, we’ll put him in there,” Yzerman said. Pearson, who has yet to appear in the NHL, does not need to be placed on waivers to be sent to the minors.
“I would trade off how much is he going to play,” Yzerman said. “If he’s going to play five or six minutes — is he maybe better off playing significant minutes in Grand Rapids? He really benefited last year, he played in all situations and did really well. We were really pleased with the year that he had. We’ll see what happens.”
With the free-agent signing of Pius Suter, the Wings depth in the middle includes Suter, Dylan Larkin, Michael Rasmussen and Joe Veleno, though Rasmussen and Veleno could be moved to the wing. Veterans Vladislav Namestnikov and Frans Nielsen are also centers who can play wing. There’s also Mitchell Stephens, a former draft pick under Yzerman in Tampa Bay who is looking for an opportunity.
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Pearson was scouted as a center with good size and skill when, under former general manager Ken Holland, the Wings took him in the fifth round. Pearson was one of six picks the Wings made in 2015. The first, Evgeny Svechnikov, was not tendered a qualifying offer this summer and is now an unrestricted free agent; he recorded 12 points in 42 NHL games. Defenseman Vili Saarijarvi (No. 73) never appeared in the NHL and is playing in Europe. Goaltender Joren Van Pottelberghe (No. 110) never appeared and is likewise in Europe. Defenseman Patrick Holway (No. 170) and forward Adam Marsh (No. 200) also never appeared in the NHL. None are in the Wings organization any longer.
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her book, The Big 50: The Detroit Red Wings is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.