The Boston Bruins have signed defenseman Connor Clifton to a two-year contract, the team announced on July 1, 2026.
The deal carries an annual cap hit of $2.25 million.
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Clifton returns to Boston after previously playing for the Bruins from 2018 to 2023.
During his first stint, he appeared in 232 games, recording 10 goals and 33 assists.
After leaving Boston, Clifton joined the Buffalo Sabres as a free agent in 2023. He spent two seasons there before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2025.
With the Penguins last season, Clifton played 50 games, scoring two goals and adding four assists for six points with a plus-5 rating.
The signing is the Bruins' first free-agent acquisition of the offseason as they look to bolster their defensive corps.
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Other Bruins Roster Moves
Boston also saw forward Viktor Arvidsson depart in free agency.
He signed a two-year, $5 million deal with the Detroit Red Wings, as reported by Emily Kaplan of ESPN.
Arvidsson had 54 points (25 goals, 29 assists) in 69 games for the Bruins last season, posting a plus-20 rating.
Additionally, the Bruins traded goaltender Joonas Korpisalo to the New York Rangers. In exchange, Boston received forward Kalle Vaisanen and a 2028 fourth-round draft pick.
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Korpisalo posted a 14-9-6 record with a 3.15 goals-against average, an . 894 save percentage, and one shutout in 31 games for Boston last season.
