The Buffalo Sabres have signed free agent veteran defenseman Matt Irwin to a one-year contract worth the league-minimum of $700,000. The signing was first reported by Sportsnet hockey insider Elliotte Friedman.
The left-handed shot defenseman has been around the NHL for some time, spending time with the San Jose Sharks, Boston Bruins, Nashville Predators and Anaheim Ducks over eight seasons. In 359 career games played, Irwin has put up 22 goals and 60 assists for 82 points.
The 32-year-old blue liner recently spent time with the Ducks after being a trade deadline acquisition from the Predators in a one-for-one deal with defenseman Korbinian Holzer. In nine games played, Irwin picked up an assist.
His longest tenure with one team was with the Predators, where he appeared in 195 games in parts of four seasons. He put up just 31 points (6+25) in his Nashville career, primarily as a bottom-pairing defenseman, but was part of the stellar defensive group in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs that helped the Predators to the Stanley Cup Final.
It was the Sharks that gave Irwin his first crack at the National Hockey League after playing two years with their American Hockey League club following a two-year collegiate career at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In parts of three seasons in San Jose, Irwin put up 50 points (16+34) in 153 games.
Irwin will likely compete for a bottom-pair role with the Sabres in the 2020-21 season behind Rasmus Dahlin and Jake McCabe on the left side. Buffalo now has six defensemen under contract at the NHL level with Brandon Montour needing to be re-signed.