When free agency opened last month, one position that Boston Bruins fans were hoping general manager Don Sweeney would address was on defense. A right-shot blueliner was needed, but was it going to be addressed through a trade or free agency?
Sweeney reportedly tried to address it through a trade, but a reported deal with the Edmonton Oilers for Darnell Nurse fell through. Instead, Sweeney had to quickly pivot to the New York Rangers for Will Borgen. However, that wasn't the only addition on defense, as Sweeney brought back a familiar name in right-shot Connor Clifton. It's safe to say he's excited to be back in Boston.
Bruins defenseman Connor Clifton is excited to be back in Boston
After leaving in free agency following the 2022-23 season, Clifton spent two seasons with the Buffalo Sabres and one with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He agreed to a two-year deal with the Black and Gold to return with an AAV of $2.25 million. So, what's different now than when Clifton left three summers ago?
“It’s a very different team than when I was there,” Clifton said, per Belle Fraser of BostonBruins.com. “I think it is six guys who are the same. That’s a small number in three years. But I feel like Bruins hockey hasn’t changed much since I left. Every time we came to the Garden, it was just a battle of a matchup, usually low scoring. It is a gritty group of guys. They play so hard, structured in the D-zone. That is kind of the style I have played my best hockey – was in Boston.”
As is the case usually in sports, change happens over time. That is the case with the Bruins since the last time Clifton donned the Spoked-B. The trade fire sale at the deadline in 2025 changed the landscape of the Boston Bruins roster that Connor Clifton once knew.
Clifton isn't being brought in to be a top-pairing defenseman. He's being brought back in to be a depth piece, likely on the third pair. If he needs to play higher than that, then Marco Sturm is going to be in trouble on the backend in 2026-27. However, his grittiness is something that Black and Gold fans will love with Clifton the next couple of seasons.
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