The Montreal Canadiens have acquired Tanner Pearson and 3rd-round draft pick 2025 from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for goaltender Casey DeSmith, according to the Canadiens. No salary was retained.
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Ontario native Tanner Pearson played just 14 games with the Vancouver Canucks last season, totaling five points with one goal and four assists, due to a scandalized hand injury that left him out of ice for the rest of the season. Pearson joined the NHL as the 30th overall pick by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2012 NHL Draft, subsequently winning the Stanley Cup with the Kings in 2014. He remained with the Kings till the 2018-19 season when he was traded in exchange for Carl Hagelin from the Penguins. Pearson joined the Canucks in 2019.
Casey DeSmith from New Hampshire joined the Pens undrafted after his splendid tenure with the Scranton Penguins. He has played a career total of 134 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins, maintaining a GA of 2.81 and a save percentage of .912. He also managed to play one playoff game with the Pens. Last month, The Pens in a three-way deal with San Jose and the Canadiens traded him to the latter.
The deal seems to have solved some loopholes for the Canucks GM Patrik Allvin. Casey DeSmith added a veteran goalie backup option for Thatcher Demko and also eased up their salary conundrum. In respect to Pearson, Pearson, although has started skating on the ice after his injury, had a very controversial period during the injury and hasn’t been able to form the same chemistry. On paper, Both parties seem to have received a positive outcome if not much from the trade.
