Boston Bruins Playing It Safe With Retread of Connor Clifton – The Hockey Writers – Boston Bruins

While the Boston Bruins should be given the proper kudos for promoting Michael DiPietro, there remains another issue: retreads.

Retreads aren’t necessarily a bad thing, but for a retooling organization that lacks a deep prospect pool due to drafting issues, it could be.

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

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

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

Reunions are an emotional occasion for people, depending on the player and how beloved they were by the fans. Clifton, a bottom-pairing defenseman, is one of those pieces. Upon the announcement of his return, the reviews were mixed.

Clifton, albeit a meaningful depth piece in the past, may not have been the right choice to bring back.

His contributions to the Bruins’ postseason aren’t inconsequential, either, as he played 49 games in the playoffs and recorded 10 points.

All in all, this seems to be a cautionary tale from the start. The notion of bringing back a veteran while you’re in a retool and aiming for the playoffs shouldn’t be based on vibes alone.

General manager (GM) Don Sweeney brought him back on a two-year deal that expires in 2027-28. Instead of finding younger blood during free agency to backfill the pipeline in Providence and in Boston, he opted for a retread.

To Retread or Not To Retread

Clifton was a healthy scratch multiple games last season. That’s 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 never tell the full story on ice, it’s a way of gleaning truth from what a player has accomplished in a season.

“Clifton was a regular healthy scratch throughout his first season in Pittsburgh. He saw more playing time down the stretch of the campaign and appeared in half of the Penguins’ postseason contests.”

Clifton played 50 games for the Penguins, recording six points, 53 penalty minutes, 180 hits, and a 48.3 Corsi-for percentage (CF%). That’s a harrowing statistic for someone who needs to be a difference-maker for the Bruins.

With the injury issues mixed in, the picture is a lot clearer. Clifton is a stay-at-home defenseman, and according to the Pensburgh publication, his lack of puck-moving abilities led to troubles clearing the defensive zone when they needed it the most.

“Overall the zone time is not a great indication of where he spent his time, often when the Pens got trapped in the zone, No. 75 was on the ice and some of his puck moving limitations could contribute to that time piling up.”

The Bruins have once again stuck to the safe side of the tracks. As a fringe playoff team, they need to do better in free agency at finding talent that can push the needle for reasonable value.

The Bruins Are Playing It Safe Again

The Bruins could utilize more muscle on the blue line, which Clifton will provide. There was other talent available for the team, which would’ve required an offer sheet. Again, we speak of another road not traveled, or taken, as Sweeney has proven at times to be risk-averse.