Confirmed Signing with Link: [NSH] Matt Irwin (1 year, 2-way)

[weastern bias]

Dude can't skate backwards

 

[CrypTic]

As long as he never plays in the NHL, it's fine.

Terrible defenseman. The two games he played for us were horrendous. Was personally responsible for an absurd amount of goals against in two games.

We had both [Hannan and Irwin] and Irwin is worse

Sharks fan and Irwin was worse. IMO Hannan would have been serviceable as a #7 who didn't play often but they played him regularly so it was bad. Irwin should be in the AHL. If that's where he plays, he should be ok but, like others said, he can't skate backwards. At all. He's bad at pretty much everything but his shot.

 

[DonskoiDonscored]

If Irwin could skate he would be a #6 PP specialist.

 

[Limekiller]

In this case, you have fans of both previous teams agreeing that the guy was ridiculously terrible. I'm sorry, Nashville fans, but it would be pure karma if you had to have Irwin play in your top six in recompense for your highway robbery of Subban.

 

[DuckEatinShark]

Irwin's only asset is his shot. That's it. He can't skate, he can't play defense. He showed flashes of being an NHL player for short periods at a time, then would just completely fall apart.

Im a little higher on Irwin than most Sharks fans, but this is an accurate scouting report. Probably the worst skater I've ever seen especially for a guy his size and age.

If you thought Hannan was bad, geez ...

 

[zombie kopitar]

If Irwin could skate he would be a #6 PP specialist.

Basically
Boyle was a great skater to cover him.... and somehow they didn't get completely torched.
But as soon as teams caught on to his shot he couldn't really chip in there too much, because his offensive sense isn't much better than his defense.

He could maybe be effective in a sheltered role with the right partner.

 

[nomorekids]

As stated, he's well down the depth chart:

Josi
Subban
Ekholm
Ellis
Bitetto
Y. Weber

Granberg

-----------------
Elliott
Irwin

The odds he sees any time in Nashville are slim...it's a veteran depth signing for Milwaukee

 

[RCola88]

We are still talking about this? Only way he sees time is if we have two injuries on our back end. Just a piece for Milwaukee

 

[nomorekids]

After seeing his name mentioned in the Pardy thread, I thought I would update on the surprise "find" of our offseason.

Irwin was called up when Tony Bitetto went down in the first game of the year, and has basically anchored the third pairing ever since. He and Yannick Weber have been very solid in their role, and Irwin has even spent some time playing with Josi while Ellis has been out. He's got a nice shot(3 goals already) and plays a steady defensive game.

I didn't know much about him, but I was nervous based on the reactions in this thread from last summer, but he's been a very pleasant surprise, and is very likely to stay on the Predators roster for the rest of the season.

 

[Tim Vezina Thomas]

After seeing his name mentioned in the Pardy thread, I thought I would update on the surprise "find" of our offseason.

Irwin was called up when Tony Bitetto went down in the first game of the year, and has basically anchored the third pairing ever since. He and Yannick Weber have been very solid in their role, and Irwin has even spent some time playing with Josi while Ellis has been out. He's got a nice shot(3 goals already) and plays a steady defensive game.

I didn't know much about him, but I was nervous based on the reactions in this thread from last summer, but he's been a very pleasant surprise, and is very likely to stay on the Predators roster for the rest of the season.

According to who, you?

He is a very capable AHL defenseman who can provide good depth as a #8/#9 organizational d man. I'm happy for him but if you're expecting him to keep this up you will be very disappointed.

 

[Timo Time]

Usually good for potting some goals. But just wait, his stretch of AHL caliber defense will shine shortly after.

 

[Soundgarden]

According to who, you?

He is a very capable AHL defenseman who can provide good depth as a #8/#9 organizational d man. I'm happy for him but if you're expecting him to keep this up you will be very disappointed.

He's actually been quite a pleasant surprise.

 

[triggrman]

he has been good

 

[nomorekids]

According to who, you?

He is a very capable AHL defenseman who can provide good depth as a #8/#9 organizational d man. I'm happy for him but if you're expecting him to keep this up you will be very disappointed.

What do I know, I just watch all of our games. He's playing well at both ends of the ice.

 

[Maukkis]

I think he looked solid against us last week. In both games, that is.

Definitely a good pickup from the Preds.

 

[Tim Vezina Thomas]

What do I know, I just watch all of our games. He's playing well at both ends of the ice.

I'm sure hes playing great now, I'm glad hes having success. That unfortunately has nothing to do with him being on the roster all season. Based on prior years he won't continue this trend.

 

[SharksFan1]

So he is Scott Hannan bad. Hannan was absolutely terrible in his year here.

worse

 

[DonskoiDonscored]

He's bad but he has stretches of looking like a 3rd pairing d-man.

 

[PetterssonSimp]

He's bad but he has stretches of looking like a 3rd pairing d-man.

So he's this generations Aaron Rome? Irwin was known to get quite steady 3rd pairing minutes in San Jose before.

 

[hohosaregood]

So he's this generations Aaron Rome? Irwin was known to get quite steady 3rd pairing minutes in San Jose before.

Only because we didn't have anyone else.

 

[glenngineer]

Reality is when he's played with Weber on the third pairing they've had one shift a game where they get pinned in our defensive zone. He sometimes lacks the foot speed to be in the best position but he really hasn't gotten burned by it luckily or other guys have saved him from a bad angle or two. Overall he's been a pleasant surprise. He's also been playing on his offside with Josi for a few games and hasn't looked out of place at all. You don't notice him which is a good thing when describing defensemen.

 

[preds1]

He's bad but he has stretches of looking like a 3rd pairing d-man.

He hasn't been Matt Carle bad. Not even close.
So far so good IMO, hope he can keep it up.

 

[DonskoiDonscored]

So he's this generations Aaron Rome? Irwin was known to get quite steady 3rd pairing minutes in San Jose before.

It was either him or guys like Sena Acolatse and Matt Taormina...

He was routinely scratched for (as much as I love them) a barely-able-to-skate Scott Hannan/Brad Stuart.

He's got an NHL shot but doesn't have the skating to compete in anything more than a sheltered role.