Former Bruins Connor Clifton

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How many guys at age 27\28 making $1M a year to be a #6 Dman would give you what Clifton did? He even surprised me the way he played with Lindholm the first 20 games out of the gate. He was a #6 giving good value at $1M.
All that is true nut PO performance was horrible and that is also true.
 

RoccoF14

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DarrenBanks56

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He wasn't the only one that had bad turnovers. Carlo G#2 and G#6 were awful TO. Carlos G6 TO on the PK was the key play of that game. Then G7 Carlo missed a half open net and was on the ice for the series winner but its all Clinton's fault, right?
Blaming clifton for game 6 is deserved, but I laugh when people just call him out. others had horrible plays in that game. Carlo especially on the 5th goal. and how can we forget lindholm. then foligno on the 6th goal. lol. 6 goals. thanks Ullmark.
all our defensemen sucked and had horrible turnovers.
Mcavoys game 7 being the worst game Ive ever seen by a Bruins defenseman. Even worse than Gryz game 6 in 2021. It was like the russian mob gave him a phone call.
 

22Brad Park

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How many guys at age 27\28 making $1M a year to be a #6 Dman would give you what Clifton did? He even surprised me the way he played with Lindholm the first 20 games out of the gate. He was a #6 giving good value at $1M.
He turned pucks over steady though and to many times put himself out of position..Hey everyone has players they like but he was not one for me.I wish him nothing but the best in Buffalo.
 

KillerMillerTime

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He turned pucks over steady though and to many times put himself out of position..Hey everyone has players they like but he was not one for me.I wish him nothing but the best in Buffalo.
As a #6 NHL wide he was absolutely above average for a #6. He played above his pay grade with Lindholm until McAvoy came back. You're expecting Champagne performance for a guy essentially paid beer prices.

He turned pucks over steady though and to many times put himself out of position..Hey everyone has players they like but he was not one for me.I wish him nothing but the best in Buffalo.
As a #6 NHL wide he was absolutely above average for a #6. He played above his pay grade with Lindholm until McAvoy came back. You're expecting Champagne performance for a guy essentially paid beer prices.
 
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KillerMillerTime

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If he plays a 3rd pairing role in Buffalo behind Dahlin, Samuelsson, Power and Jokiharju, then its a great addition for Buffalo.

If they are relying on him 2 be a 2nd pair guy above Jokiharju or Samuelsson it just shows Buffalo has a lot of work to do on their D-unit.

If he plays a 3rd pairing role in Buffalo behind Dahlin, Samuelsson, Power and Jokiharju, then its a great addition for Buffalo.

If they are relying on him 2 be a 2nd pair guy above Jokiharju or Samuelsson it just shows Buffalo has a lot of work to do on their D-unit.
Their RD looks like Dahlin with Erik Johnson and Clifton. Jokiharju may get traded or be in a 7 man rotation. I could be wrong but I think Samuelsson is on the LD.
 

Gee Wally

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The Bruins back end won’t fall apart now that Connor Clifton has headed to Buffalo, but they’ll miss his pop, snarl, and feisty competitiveness along the blue line. “Cliffy” was the Black and Gold’s most prolific hitter (208 smacks) last season, the ex-Quinnipiac standout continuing to emerge as one of the NHL’s better, and somewhat unpredictable, thumpers.

All of which is why the Sabres, in desperate need of adding some backbone to an otherwise slick/skilled blue-line corps, spent $10 million across three years to pluck the 28-year-old Clifton from the unrestricted free agent pile. In a market that was notably distressed, in terms of available dollars and contract length, Clifton made out extremely well, tripling what he was paid in Boston.

“I’ve just tried to learn the past five years,” Clifton said in his first media Zoom session after swapping his Spoked-B for Crossed Swords. “I played with some incredible players, and I’ll forever to be grateful to have been a Boston Bruin the past five years.”

Clifton alone won’t stem Buffalo’s goal-for-goal bleeding, but his presence will make 31 teams far less comfortable when entering the Sabres’ end. Warning: Hard hats are mandatory now at this end of the ice. That’s not the way it has been for the Sabres for a very long time.

“Obviously, I play a two-way abrasive style,” said Clifton. “I think I am going to help on the defensive side. They were [No. 3] in goals scored, obviously. I don’t want to change how they play, but I think I can help the other side of things, and obviously, when you’re scoring more goals than you’re giving up, you’re going to be a good team.”

According to agent Eric Quinlan, Clifton had talks with some 10 teams interested in his services. At least one other team, he said, tried to entice Clifton with more years and higher AAV than Buffalo, but Clifton felt the resurging Sabres offered the best playing opportunity. He also had a longstanding relationship with coach Don Granato, once his mentor with the US National Team Development Program.

“That was huge,” said Quinlan, noting that Clifton also enjoyed his playing time under Montgomery. “Connor and Don had the connection, and Don made clear, yeah, they wanted a right-shot D-man, and he wanted Connor to be that guy.”

Had the Bruins been in a different money situation, noted Quinlan, Clifton likely would have considered taking a slight trim to remain in Boston.

“But Sweens was great with us throughout the year, start to finish,” said Quinlan, referring to Bruins general manager Don Sweeney. “He figured the money for Connor in the open market would run ahead of what he could budget, and that’s what happened.”

Boston’s loss is Buffalo’s gain, something that hasn’t happened since, oh, maybe Brad May’s “May Day!” goal in the 1993 playoffs? The Sabres and Bruins will meet in the preseason (Sept. 26 aside Lake Erie) and then for real for the first time Nov. 14. With Clifton lined up on the other side, it no doubt will be a bang-up affair.
 
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DarrenBanks56

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May 16, 2005
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gonna miss his hits.
still think him and lindholm shouldve been the pair in the playoffs. they were awesome during the reg season.
brought out alot of confidence in him playing with lindholm.
 
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JCRO

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Happy he got paid

Happy it wasn’t here

I think he’ll do well especially if he ends up being flanked by Dahlin or Power. They can cover up his mistakes like Lindholm and let him do his thing.

Good luck to him. Cliffy hockey, whether good or bad at times, was certainly entertaining hockey.
 
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