“Progressing appropriately,” Pearson’s timeline unchanged

If Tanner Pearson is unable to return to the Kings this season, it would mark the second time in the last four years that his season ended prematurely due to a broken lower fibula.

In 2011-12, with roughly 10 minutes to play in the Barrie Colts’ regular season finale, Pearson fell and suffered a broken lower right fibula that ended a breakthrough season that also included a stop at the World Junior Championships. It was a clean break, though – no surgery was required – and the injury didn’t stop Los Angeles from drafting him 30th overall at the 2012 NHL Draft in Pittsburgh.

After suffering an injury to his lower left fibula in the second period of the shootout loss to Winnipeg on January 10, it’s unclear whether he’ll play again this season after having undergone surgery the following week. “Basically, after the injury, we just looked at it like he was done for the year,” Darryl Sutter said on January 27. Correspondence with hockey operations yesterday revealed that Pearson has been “progressing appropriately,” but there is no change to the three-plus month diagnosis of the injury. He has traveled with the Kings on this trip, receiving treatment and rehabilitating.

“I think things have gone pretty good so far. You don’t want to do too much to slow down the recovery process,” he said. “Right now, I think we’re doing a good job of keeping on it.”

Pearson lived with Anze Kopitar “for a couple days” during his recovery and noted that the most recognizable Kings’ dog helped him regain his bearings.

“Gustl was on point in the comforting process,” Pearson said.

“From everyone on the team, I had a lot of help which was really nice to receive, for sure.”

Pearson, on how he is progressing:
I think it’s pretty much every x-ray is a different thing. You can’t really tell without seeing the x-ray of the bone. I haven’t had an x-ray now in a couple weeks since we’ve been on the road. We’ll go back and have another one and hopefully it’ll show good signs. [Reporter: How many total x-rays have you had to this point?] Two since after surgery, things were showing good signs. Hopefully they keep on going up.

Pearson, on how long his surgery was:
It’s a good question. I don’t even know. I have no idea. They say count down from 10 and you’re out.

Pearson, on whether he understood the severity of his injury:
Yeah, I broke my right one before, too. [Reporter: When did that happen?] 2012, the year I got drafted and I felt that one snap. I didn’t feel this one go until I started to try to skate on it. That’s when I kind of knew what was going on. Stuff happens, that’s the way the game goes.

On when he walks around without the boot:
Pretty much, just when I’m with the trainers and I get the OK to kind of move around.