The Cleveland Monsters announced Thursday that the team signed forward Justin Pearson to a professional tryout (PTO) contract while Columbus reassigned goaltender Nolan Lalonde to Cleveland from the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye. In 69 appearances for Cleveland last season, Pearson supplied 6-13-19 with 27 penalty minutes, adding two penalty minutes in six Calder Cup Playoff appearances.

A 6’1”, 190 lb. left-shooting native of Nashua, NH, Pearson, 27, tallied 16-25-41 with 55 penalty minutes in 140 career AHL appearances for the Monsters spanning parts of three seasons from 2022-25. Prior to his professional career, Pearson notched 36-43-79 with 87 penalty minutes in 129 career NCAA appearances spanning four seasons with Yale (ECAC) from 2018-22 and one season with Connecticut (Hockey East) in 2022-23.

A 6’2”, 196 lb. left-catching native of Kingston, ON, Lalonde, 21, signed a three-year entry-level contract with Columbus October 3, 2022 through the 2026-27 season. In 167 career OHL appearances spanning four seasons with the Erie Otters, Saginaw Spirit, Kingston Bulldogs, and Soo Greyhounds from 2021-25, Lalonde went 72-65-13 with five shutouts, a 3.60 GAA and .876 S%. Lalonde helped Saginaw claim the 2023-24 Memorial Cup Championship and was named to the 2021-22 OHL First All-Star Team.

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