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Walleye's Pearce Has
Plans On, Off The Ice

October 16, 2009

By Mike G. Morreale
NHL.com Staff Writer

Goalie Jordan Pearce did plenty of research before signing a two-year contract as an undrafted free agent with the Detroit Red Wings in April.

After all, he carried a 3.8 grade-point average with a double major in pre-med and anthropology at Notre Dame. Every waking hour in South Bend, Ind., must have been spent in research to ensure all that academic success, so why not go head-first into the managerial makeup of an NHL franchise?

"It was a thrill and offers were coming from different teams, but Detroit is such a great organization," Pearce told NHL.com. "I did research and talked to some guys and everyone I talked to said they treat their prospects very well and take the time to nurture them. It's not a carousel where they bring guys in and out. They like to develop guys and I like that kind of commitment."

Commitment never has been much of a problem for Pearce. In addition making the dean's list at Notre Dame in 2009, Pearce was a finalist for player of the year in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association after going 30-6-3 with a 1.68 goals-against average, .931 save percentage and eight shutouts while leading the Irish to both the CCHA regular-season and playoff titles.

For now, however, Pearce has put his medical career on hold.

"I went through the medical school application process and was accepted, but when this offer (by Detroit) came knocking on the door, I turned it down to see how far I could take my hockey career," Pearce told NHL.com. "When my hockey career is done, I'll be going back to school and begin a career in medicine, but whether that's two years or 10 years from now, I don't know."

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