Nashville Predators defenseman Matt Irwin during 2017 Stanley Cup Finals game 5, June 8, 2017, against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Michael Miller)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

signed

Canucks sign former Nanaimo Clipper defenceman amid free agency flurry

Jul 1, 2023 | 12:15 PM

NANAIMO — A familiar face is returning to ply his trade in B.C.

Matt Irwin, who was born in Victoria and played three seasons with the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers, will spend next season patrolling the blue line in the Vancouver Canucks system after having signed a one-year, two-way contract with the team.

Financial terms were not disclosed, however the contract allows the 35-year-old Irwin to more easily transition between the NHL Canucks and American Hockey League’s (AHL) Abbotsford Canucks.

Irwin has been a mainstay defenceman in the NHL and AHL since debuting with the San Jose Sharks in the 2012-13 season. He’s played with the Sharks, Boston Bruins, Nashville Predators, Anaheim Ducks and most recently, the Washington Capitals.

In 461 career NHL games, the 6’2, 190 pound defenceman has 25 goals, 68 assists and 221 penalty minutes. He made it to the Stanley Cup final in 2017 with Nashville, falling in six games to Pittsburgh.

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Through three seasons with the Nanaimo Clippers, Irwin scored 41 times and added 70 more assists through 178 career BCHL games in the regular season. He added another 43 playoff appearances with 16 goals and 12 assists.

After Nanaimo, he played two seasons of NCAA hockey at the University of Massachusetts before turning pro.

The Canucks were busy on the opening day of free agency, also reaching agreements with defencemen Carson Soucy and Ian Cole, as well as forwards Teddy Blueger and Tristen Nielsen.

Soucy, 28, spent the last two years with the Seattle Kraken — as their expansion pick from the Minnesota Wild — and had three goals and 16 points in 78 games last season.

He signed a three-year, US$9.75M deal, while Cole will be on a one-year, $3 million contract, Blueger committed to a one-year $1.9 million deal and Nielsen signed a two-year, entry-level contract.

Cole, 34, spent last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning while Blueger, 28, won the Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights.

Nielsen, 23, spent the last two seasons with the Abbotsford Canucks, Vancouver’s AHL affiliate.

He has 52 points in 105 regular season games for Abbotsford.

— with files from The Canadian Press

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