Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Tuesday that the club has signed defenceman Matt Irwin to a two-year contract worth $650,000 in 2018-19 and $700,000 in 2019-20.
Irwin, 30 (11/29/87), has played 31 games in his second season with the Predators, tallying two goals and five assists for seven points. He recorded three points (2g-1a) in a six-game span from Nov. 3-14 and has two assists in his last three games. Last season, Irwin played in a career-high 74 games and was third on the Predators in plus-minus at +15. He had three goals and 11 assists for 14 points in the regular season and added two assists in 22 postseason games as Nashville reached the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history.
Never drafted, Irwin played two seasons at the University of Massachusetts from 2008-10, posting 42 points (14g-28a) in 67 NCAA games. Prior to jumping to the collegiate ranks, he spent three seasons with the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers, being named Coastal Conference Defenseman of the Year and to the league All-Star Game in both 2007 and 2008.
Jeff King
