Chase Pearson will be out of the Nottingham Panthers’ line-up for at least the next four weeks.
That’s according to a statement released by the Motorpoint Arena side on Friday [3 October], confirming that the 28-year-old suffered an upper-body injury last weekend’s 3-0 win over the Coventry Blaze.
Pearson’s injury follows an electric start to his Elite League career, with the American scoring 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in his first seven appearances for the Panthers.
But, after consulting with a specialist, his hot-streak is over for now.
With that in mind, here are three players the Panthers need to step up in Pearson’s absence.
Bryan Lemos, First-Line Centreman:
Bryan Lemos, Nottingham Panthers (Image: Panthers Images)
Danny Stewart has backed Bryan Lemos as his first-line centreman to the start season — and he’s doing fine.
But fine won’t cut it with Pearson, the main source of Nottingham’s goals, out of the team.
Lemos has six points (three goals, three assists) in six games to open the campaign, winning 67 of his 122 face-off draws from his position at the top of Nottingham’s line-up.
However, there is surely more to come from the 29-year-old, who recorded 57 points (nine goals, 48 assists) in 69 ECHL appearances for the Indy Fuel last season.
Lemos, who enjoyed a brief spell with the Guildford Flames in 2023-24, has always been expert play-driver.
In the weeks to come, the Panthers need him to add more goals to his game.
Mitchell Fossier, First-Line Winger:
Mitchell Fossier, Nottingham Panthers (Image: Panthers Images)
Mitchell Fossier is well-known around the Elite League at this point.
The American made 40 regular-season appearances for the Panthers last season, scoring 52 points (16 goals, 36 assists) after joining the team mid-season.
He also played a crucial role as Nottingham won the play-off title on home ice, credited with ten points (six goals, four assists) in four postseason outings.
Fossier is off to a solid start this time around, with seven points (four goals, three assists) in seven games, but he is yet to truly stamp his authority on the season.
He delivered his best performance of the campaign a week ago, scoring twice in the Panthers’ 6-5 win over Guildford, and yet the Panthers still need more from their star man.
With Pearson removed from his second-line centreman role, Stewart needs his primary unit to produce more offence at five-on-five.
Ross Armour, Third-Line Centreman:
Ross Armour, Nottingham Panthers (Image: Panthers Images)
Ross Armour is the final player to watch out for in Pearson’s absence.
The 27-year-old has bounced around the line-up to start the season, playing through the middle or on the right of Nottingham’s third-line.
Despite arriving in the Elite League with an impressive resume, he is yet to find his stride, scoring just once in his first seven games of the campaign.
Armour, a product of the NCAA, recorded 32 points (16 goals, 16 assists) in 36 outings for the ECHL’s Savannah Ghost Pirates last season, building on his 35-point haul from the year prior.
He’s 6-foot-2, tenacious, and boasts a quick release.
Before he joined the team, Stewart billed him as a player he would lean on in all situations.
“He’s got a real knack for scoring goals and gives us another net-front presence on the powerplay,” said the Canadian.
“Ross competes hard every night and brings a lot of things to our line-up. On top of his versatility, he can make creative plays and shoots the puck well. When games are tight, he’s also great in those hard areas.”
Armour has the pedigree to make his mark in the Elite League.
With Pearson sat in the press box, the Panthers need him to deliver.
READ MORE:
