Before turning pro, Pearson played two seasons with Barrie of the Ontario Hockey League beginning in 2010-11. He was the OHL's third-leading scorer in 2011-12 with 91 points (37 goals). Pearson also scored one goal and six points in six games to help Canada finish third at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship.

In an unexpected move, Pearson became the third player in Los Angeles Kings history to make his NHL debut in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Twice passed over in the NHL Draft, Pearson was selected by the Kings in the first round (No. 30) of the 2012 NHL Draft, less than two months before his 20th birthday. A gifted left wing with a strong shot, Pearson was called up by the Kings after playing the 2012-13 season for Manchester of the American Hockey League. The Kitchener, Ontario, native was in the lineup for Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the San Jose Sharks on May 18, 2013.

Pearson opened the 2013-14 season in the AHL before scoring in his NHL regular-season debut against the New York Islanders on Nov. 14, 2013. He played most of that season between the NHL and AHL, but after the NHL schedule resumed in February following the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Pearson became a regular in the Kings lineup. He scored one goal and five points in his last seven regular-season games and played in 24 of 26 postseason games for the Kings during their run to the Stanley Cup.

Pearson finished the 2014 playoffs with four goals and 12 points, including a six-game scoring streak that tied the Kings' postseason record for a rookie (Daryl Evans in 1982, Warren Rychel in 1993). Among rookies in the playoffs, he tied for first in assists (eight) and was third in points and goals. He was second among all players at plus-10.

In 2014-15, Pearson sustained a lower-body injury Jan. 10 against the Winnipeg Jets that kept him out for the rest of the season. He returned to play 79 games in 2015-16 and won Game 3 of the Western Conference First Round against the San Jose Sharks by scoring his first overtime goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Pearson scored 24 goals in 2016-17 and 15 the following season. But after getting one assist in 17 games to start the 2018-19 season, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov. 14, 2018. He scored 14 points (nine goals, five assists) in 44 games for the Penguins before he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 25, 2019. He achieved an NHL career-high 45 points (21 goals, 24 assists) before the 2019-20 season was paused March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus.

NOTES & TRANSACTIONS

• OHL Second All-Star Team (2012)
• Traded to Pittsburgh by Los Angeles for Carl Hagelin, November 14, 2018.
• Traded to Vancouver by Pittsburgh for Erik Gudbranson, February 25, 2019.