Stepping onto the ice with the Kingston Canadiens of the OHL in 1985 was, for Scott Pearson, like riding a dog sled with no dogs. The Canadiens were among the worst clubs in Canada. One of their only bright spots was Pearson, a hard-working, aggressive winger with a mean edge.
The Leafs, a club in need of muscle, selected him 6th overall in the 1988 Entry Draft. He was characterized by scouts as a tough, trench-digging winger although not a true skill player. That assessment also best described Pearson's legacy at the NHL level. He was designated as a role player who saw limited duty.
He lasted as a Leaf until 1991 when the Nordiques picked him up and, as in Toronto, used him for spot duty on occasions when he wasn't skating for their minor-league affiliate. His most successful NHL stint came with the Oilers in 1993-94. It was his first and only really complete season where he hit career highs of 19 goals and 18 assists. From Edmonton, he moved on to Buffalo for parts of two seasons and then put in one game with the Leafs in 1996 and two more for the Islanders in 1999-2000.
He then left the NHL for good, heading overseas to play for the Essen Mosquitoes of the German league for the 2000-2001 season.
