New Penguins defenseman Connor Clifton: 'I want to get back to my old self'

Jason Spezza welcomed Connor Clifton to the NHL.

And in a blunt fashion.

Making his NHL debut as a member of the Boston Bruins on Nov. 16, 2018, Clifton, a defenseman, crossed paths with Spezza, then a forward with the Dallas Stars. A shove turned into a slash, then a quick jab from Spezza, who dropped the gloves and tried to get the best of the rookie. Clifton wasn’t having any of the veteran’s guff and slammed him to the ice in a quick victory.

Today, Spezza is the Penguins’ assistant general manager and is Clifton’s boss as a result of the Penguins acquiring the right-handed blueliner in a multi-player trade with the Buffalo Sabres on June 28.

“NHL debut and I’m just trying to survive out there,” Clifton said. “Ended up getting in a fight with him. … It was quick and then we served our time in the (penalty) box. He was looking for it more than me. I was just trying to survive out there for Game 1.”

That approach to his craft has allowed Clifton to do more than survive in the NHL for seven seasons. Despite being compact in dimensions (5-foot-11, 195 pounds), the 30-year-old Clifton has crafted an existence in the league by being cantankerous.

In each of the past three seasons, he has led the team he has played for in hits:

2022-23:Boston Bruins, 208 hits

2023-24:Buffalo Sabres, 204 hits

2024-25:Buffalo Sabres, 208 hits

“That’s kind of how I’ve always played,” Clifton said in a video conference Tuesday. “Working to get to the next level, it was always a big part of my game. I feel like I out-competed my way to the NHL with that sort of style, and that’s what’s going to keep me there.”

It’s part of what brought Clifton here to Pittsburgh. The other portion of the transaction was convenience for the Penguins and Sabres.

After Clifton labored through an inconsistent 2024-25 season in which he was a healthy scratch for five games, the Sabres wanted to offload the last year of his contract with a salary cap hit of $3,333,333 and found a willing partner in the Penguins, who also accepted a second-round pick in last month’s NHL Draft to facilitate the transaction.

(Depth defenseman Connor Timmins and mid-level defensive prospect Isaac Belliveau went to the Sabres in the deal.)

Clifton, who scored 16 points (one goal, 15 assists) in 73 games last season, doesn’t sugarcoat how his tenure with the Sabres went.

“I wasn’t too happy with it,” Clifton said. “I think I was all over the place. I wouldn’t even say last year, really the past two years. My game, it’s kind of been at a standstill. There’s been a lot of mental battles along the way. There was a couple of (healthy) scratches two years ago, too. My whole time in Buffalo, I feel like I kind of lost myself.

“The change of scenery, I got that call that I’m going to be a Pittsburgh Penguin, I was really excited for the change. I want to get back to my old self and how I play and the impact that I have on the game. … You just try to simplify and be who you are.”

The Penguins seem to have every intention of allowing Clifton to be who he is. That’s to say they want him to be a physical and abrasive defender.

“I came to Pittsburgh last week for a couple of days,” said Clifton, a native of Matawan, N.J. “I was speaking with (head coach Dan Muse) and just how we’re going to be competitive. It’s all going to start with work. He mentioned he wanted me to come in and find it right away and don’t come in all passive. Be aggressive and be who I am. That’s always good to hear. I’m excited for the opportunity.”

How that opportunity manifests itself remains to be seen. The Penguins have a surplus of right-handed defensemen, including Clifton, as well as fellow veterans Kris Letang, Erik Karlsson and Matthew Dumba, also acquired in a recent trade. Reserve Jack St. Ivany and promising prospect Harrison Brunicke are also in the picture.

Another trade might disperse the crowd a bit before training camp opens in September, but competing and fighting — literally, at times — for his place won’t be anything new for Clifton.

“There’s always setbacks on your journey,” Clifton said. “I’m pretty proud of the journey I’m on. I think I have a lot left to give. I’m really excited for a fresh start in Pittsburgh and can’t wait to get started.”