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Phantoms soak up moment
Chase Pearson follows in father’s footsteps, is drafted by Original Six team
Kyle Connor and Chase Pearson were roommates on the road last season with the Youngstown Phantoms.
Their most recent road trip is one neither will ever forget.
After watching Connor get drafted by the Winnipeg Jets with the 17th overall pick in Friday’s first round, Pearson was hoping day two of the NHL Draft would be his turn to sweat inside the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla.
After a few hours, and more than three rounds went by, the Detroit Red Wings selected Pearson in the fifth round with the 140th overall pick.
“I can’t even describe it,” Pearson said, sporting a Red Wings sweater and baseball hat.
“It’s awesome; a dream come true. You grow up always wanting to play in the NHL and this is the first step for me. So it’s an unbelievable feeling.”
Pearson, 17, isn’t the only one in his family who’s been drafted by an “Original Six” team. His father, Scott, was drafted sixth overall in 1988 by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He played in 292 career games over 10 NHL seasons, with the Maple Leafs, Quebec Nordiques, Edmonton Oilers, Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders.
“He coached me growing up and is most of the reason I am where I am today,” Pearson said of his father.
“I really respect him and listen to him because he went through it and he knows what it takes to make it.”
In his first season in Youngstown, Pearson had 11 goals, 14 assists and 96 penalty minutes over 55 games. He verbally committed to the University of Maine in early June, but is expected to play one more season with the Phantoms in the USHL before making the jump to college hockey.
“I think I can be a two-way forward,” Pearson said. “Offensively, I’d like to produce more than I did last year, but I know that comes with time and more development.
“Eventually I need to put more weight on, which is something I’m focusing on in the offseason.”
Pearson was one of five players with Phantoms ties drafted on day two Saturday.
Ryan Shea, who appeared in two games for Youngstown last season, was taken in the fourth round by the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks with the 121st overall pick.
Goalie Ryan Bednard was in net for one game for the Phantoms, stopping 32 shots. He went in the seventh round to the Florida Panthers with the 206th pick. Both players are expected to be back in Youngstown for the 2015-16 season.
The Phantoms also had two players they selected in Phase II of the USHL Draft hear their names called by NHL teams.
Luke Stevens was taken in the fifth round by the Carolina Hurricanes at pick No. 126. Patrick Shea, the Phantoms’ second-round pick, went in the seventh round to the Panthers with the 192nd overall selection.
They attended Phantoms tryout camp earlier this month to battle for spots on next season’s roster.
A USHL-record 37 players were taken in this year’s NHL Draft.