Matt Irwin

With Ryan Ellis missing the first half of last season due to a knee injury, Irwin was one of several Predators defensemen (including Alexei Emelin, Yannick Weber and Anthony Bitetto) who had to step up and help fill the void. In the first three months of the season, Irwin saw a steady workload, playing in 31 of 38 games. Once Ellis returned, however, Irwin returned to spare-part status in the second half, missing 25 of the final 44 regular-season games (although he did play in all but one of the 13 playoff contests against the Avs and Jets). Still, Preds GM David Poile clearly saw something in Irwin that he liked, signing the 30-year-old to a two-year contract extension in January, possibly as a way of transitioning to some of the team's younger blueliners currently in the minors, including Alexandre Carrier and Frederic Allard. Until then, Irwin will continue to compete with the likes of Bitetto and Weber for a spot on the third defensive pair, providing a steady, stay-at-home presence.

The 27-year-old Irwin, who played in 53 games for the Sharks during the 2014-15 season, recording eight goals and 19 points in the process, is now set to compete for a spot on the Bruins' third defensive pair. At a salary cap hit of $800,000, Irwin gives the Bruins a nice low-cost depth defenseman, and one who possesses some untapped offensive potential that could potentially translate into some power-play action in his new NHL locale.

Irwin has a lot of potential, but it's not always been clear where he stands with the Sharks. However, after suiting up for the bulk of the Sharks’ regular-season games in the last two years, Irwin looks as though he's here to stay. He should see some extra ice time in 2014-15 with the departure of Dan Boyle, along with the stated team goal of refocusing on the youth movement. Irwin’s path to ice time could become even clearer if the Sharks decide to transition Brent Burns back to wing at any point during the season. So, in theory, Irwin’s 19 points from last season should increase, especially as the team looks to replace Boyle's power-play time. San Jose will want an active defensive tandem that they can put out to generate some offense, and Irwin could easily be a part of that plan, not least of all because he likes to shoot the puck (147 shots last season). He’s an interesting dark horse and a player who is in line for a breakout year -- if one ever materializes -- in one of his next two seasons.

With his first season in a Sharks' sweater now behind him, Irwin has shown that he has some offensive upside and the potential to stake out a bigger role on the team this season. In 38 games, he put up six goals and six assists, including five power-play points, blocked 65 shots and averaged over 19 minutes and more than two shots per game. He's not going to lead the defensive core in points, but for a first season in the NHL, those are promising numbers. Promising enough to pick him up on draft day, you ask? No, probably not. We wouldn’t bet on this being Irwin’s breakout year, but expect these numbers to improve. He's worth keeping an eye on.

Irwin is a powerful defender with offensive upside. He turned in his first full season of professional hockey in 2010-11, recording 31 points (10 G, 21 A) and 43 penalty minutes for the Sharks’ minor league affiliate in Worcester. The talented rearguard is likely to require more seasoning in the minors this year.