Boston Bruins Play It Safe With Replay Connor Clifton – Hockey Writers – Boston Bruins

While the Boston Bruins should be given the credit they deserve for promoting Michael DiPietro, another issue remains: rebounding.

Regression isn’t a bad thing, but in an iterative organization that doesn’t have the opportunity to think critically because of writing problems, it can be.

The team brought Connor Clifton back to the organization in free agency, and signed him to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $2.25 million.

Clifton has been a mainstay in the Bruins organization through the 2022-23 season. He suited up for the Buffalo Sabers (2023-25) and the Pittsburgh Penguins (2025-26), being traded to the latter in June, 2025.

As a defenseman who played 434 games in the NHL and recorded 83 points (17 goals, 66 assists), Bruins fans shouldn’t expect much from this signing.

A reunion is an emotional event for people, depending on the player and how much they were loved by the fans. Clifton, a defensive tackle, is one of those pieces. When the announcement of his return, reviews were mixed.

Clifton, even if a valuable depth piece in the past, may not have been the right choice to bring back.

His contributions to the Bruins’ postseason are also noteworthy, as he played in 49 games in the playoffs and recorded 10 points.

All in all, this seems like a cautionary tale from the start. The idea of ​​bringing back a veteran while retooling and pushing for the playoffs shouldn’t be based on vibes alone.

General manager (GM) Don Sweeney brought him back on a two-year deal that ends in 2027-28. Instead of getting a little blood while working for free to fill the pipeline in Providence and Boston, he chose to go back to school.

Relapse or No Relapse

Clifton was healthy in many games last season. This is bad news for a team like the Bruins, who will need all the help they can get on the blue line in 2026-27.

While statistics don’t tell the whole story on the ice, they are a way to get the truth out of a player’s accomplishments during the season.

“Clifton was generally healthy throughout his first season in Pittsburgh. He saw plenty of playing time on the floor this campaign and appeared in half of the Penguins’ postseason games.”

Clifton played 50 games for the Penguins, recording six points, 53 penalty minutes, 180 shots, and a 48.3 Corsi-for percentage (CF%). That’s a scary number for a difference maker for the Bruins.

As injury issues are mixed, the picture is clearer. Clifton is a stay-at-home defenseman, and according to the Pennsburgh publication, his lack of puck-moving skills has led to problems clearing the defense when they need it most.

“Overall, the offense’s time is not a good indicator of where he spent his time, usually when the Pens were locked in a zone, No. 75 was on the ice and some of his puck movement limitations could contribute to that time accumulation.”

The Bruins once again stuck to the safe side of the tracks. As a deadline team, they need to do better in free agency in finding talent that can push the needle at the right price.

Bruins Play Safe Again

The Bruins could use more muscle on the blue line, which Clifton will provide. There was other talent on the team, which would have required an offer sheet. Again, we are talking about another road not taken, or not taken, as Sweeney has proven at times to be dangerous.