Pearson has good excuse to skip Combine bike tests

TORONTO -- The two bike tests -- the Wingate Cycle Ergometer and the VO2 Max test -- are the double-feature horror show at the annual NHL Scouting Combine. Every player has to go through it, and all greet it with some level of trepidation.

Well, not every player. Barrie Colts forward Tanner Pearson is excused from the bike tests while he recovers from the broken right ankle that ended his season.

Pearson told NHL.com he's been skating since the beginning of the month, and while he's close to 100-percent healed, he's still doing strengthening and balance work in his leg. Because of that, Pearson will sit out the jumping and bike portions of the fitness testing.

Pearson hasn't been rubbing it in, but he said there have been some sour feelings among his fellow prospects.

"Some of the guys are grumpy about it," he told NHL.com with a laugh. "But hey, I had to break my leg to go through it. I'd rather have done the testing than break my leg."

Contact Adam Kimelman at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @NHLAdamK

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