The Bruins have expressed their appreciation for the development of young defender Connor Clifton, as they will sign him to a long-term extension today, the earliest date in which they could make the move. TSN’s Frank Seravalli reports that it is a three-year, $3MM deal for Clifton, who still has one season remaining at $725K. The 24-year-old appears to be locked in as blue line depth piece for years to come.
At the start of the season, Clifton was a longshot to make any impact on the Bruins squad, but the 24-year-old blueliner was recalled on two separate occasions to fill in for several injured Boston players. He played 19 games for the Bruins, posting just an assist, but it was in the playoffs where Clifton broke out. With multiple injuries still ravaging their blueline, Clifton became a regular for the team during the playoffs and started to show off some of his offensive skill as well, scoring two goals and finishing with five points in the playoffs, while maintaining his high-energy levels throughout.
The addition likely guarantees him a permanent spot on Boston’s blueline as he will serve as a depth defenseman and fight for playing time with John Moore, Matt Grzelcyk and Kevan Miller.