All signs point to Tanner Pearson’s return to the game

Tanner Pearson last played on December 9.

The forward suffered an upper-body injury, and the Habs announced at the time that Pearson would miss four to six weeks.

When will he be back in action?

It’s worth noting that the former Vancouver Canucks player jumped on the ice alone yesterday before the team’s practice session.

He did the same this morning… But he also skated with his teammates during the club’s optional training session.

It was the first time since his injury that he had trained with the other guys:

Rafaël Harvey-Pinard also suffered a lower-body injury this season that caused him to miss some time.

He trained with his teammates for the first time on January 6 and returned to action five days later, on January 11.

It’s a similar story for David Savard, by the way. The big defenseman was absent for a while, trained with the group on December 4 and returned to action six days later, on December 10.

Savard and Harvey-Pinard didn’t have the same injuries as Pearson, but it’s a hint that the veteran is fast approaching a return to action.

I don’t think he’ll be back in Martin St-Louis’ line-up this week, because he hasn’t had a real workout with the group yet, and because he needs to get back into game shape… But the Habs play three games next week (Senators, Islanders and Penguins) and I think we can expect to see him play between now and then.

Remember that his return is anticipated because the Habs could trade him at the NHL trade deadline (March 8). That said, Pearson needs to play to show he can help another NHL team.

But it makes sense to insert Joshua Roy’s name (emergency recall) into the discussion because he didn’t break everything in his first game, and because he still has things to learn down there.

The uncertainty surrounding Josh Anderson’s injury also complicates matters somewhat.

In closing, Jonathan Drouin and the Avalanche will be in town tonight for Pride Night at the Bell Centre, and Jake Allen will get the start for the Habs.

In gusto

– He’s having quite a season.

– Changes are made in Ottawa.

– No one.

– Love the defenseman’s reaction.

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– He’s so underrated.