Canucks' Pearson dishes on pending UFA status: 'I want to stay here'

Vancouver Canucks forward Tanner Pearson is hoping to extend his stay on the West coast.

Pearson becomes an unrestricted free agent after this season and doesn't appear to be in any hurry to test the open market.

"When the time comes, I'm all ears, I want to stay here," Pearson said Thursday, according to Daily Hive Vancouver's Rob Williams.

The 6-foot-1 winger inked a four-year deal with the Los Angeles Kings in 2017 with an annual cap hit of $3.75 million. Vancouver acquired him in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins before the 2019 trade deadline.

Pearson recorded a career-best 45 points through 69 games in 2019-20 and ranked fourth on the Canucks with 21 goals. The 28-year-old added four goals and four assists in 17 playoff contests.

Vancouver has $22.86 million in projected cap space for next season but also has multiple key players in line for new deals. Franchise cornerstones Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes are set to become restricted free agents, while veterans Alex Edler, Jordie Benn, and Brandon Sutter are among the club's pending unrestricted free agents.