Interview w/ Connor Clifton of the Pittsburgh Penguins

Interview w/ Connor Clifton of the Pittsburgh Penguins

[Music] [Applause] Thank you for listening to Dropping the Gloves with John Sky. Good afternoon everybody. Welcome to Dropping the Gloves. We got a good one here. I I would consider this guy maybe a a tertiary friend of mine. I’ve met him along the way. I’m kind of more friends with his uncle and aunt. They took me out in Savannah a couple months ago. Well, Connor Clifton is joining the show from Boston. Connor, how are you, my friend? I’m great, John. Thanks for having me on. We’re excited we uh made this set this up, made it work. I’m super excited. You’re a very just low-key just I want to say just a cool guy to be around. You don’t get too high, you don’t get too low. Am I off base by saying that? You seem to be pretty even keel. Uh most of the time, yeah, I am. Yeah, I would say. What do you mean most of the time? I mean, sometimes I get a little pissed off out there on the ice, but not really off. So, well, that’s what I And I try to be even killed, too, and I I try to be the same way, but you know, it doesn’t happen. I get angry, too. But how do you like you’re a small guy and you play such and we’ll get into the interview soon, but I’m just like, you’re the most melancholy guy I think I’ve ever talked to. Maybe for a long time, but how do you flip that switch? Because on the ice, you’re an animal. Like you throw your body around, you just throw caution to the wind out there. Yeah. I think honestly I was pretty reckless kid in everything I in everything I did really. Like skiing, my mom used to scream at me cuz I would just go straight down the mountain and no fear at all. So I kind of I kind of have brought that on the ice, you know, my whole career. And obviously making it the NHL, I feel like I outco competed my way to the NHL. And you know, you got to do what got you there. So, which a lot of guys don’t do, which is nuts because I feel like, mind you, I was a big goon and you’re a very skilled hockey player, but I feel like we had the same trajectory kind of path to the show, go to the NCAA, whatever. Work your way up AHL. How many times have you seen guys who are a star in the NCAA, like putting up massive points? you get to the pro ranks, but they don’t want to do, you know, the hard stuff. Does it ever It irked me a little bit where I’m seeing like a first rounder, second rounder, and it’s like, man, just back check. Just just block some shots, just do some extra work and you’ll be super skilled. I don’t know, maybe I don’t want to get into it too much, but did you did that annoy you or did you see that a lot coming up through Providence? Yeah, I mean, I was Yeah, I was like you. I was a four-year college guy at Quinnipek. Um, and I needed all four of those years. And eventually after after I graduated, um, I ended up I had got drafted by Phoenix and basically they didn’t want to sign me. So basically just expired. So I had a free summer. I finished school like after our season ended pretty early that year. So I finished school. I have a whole summer ahead and then I end up on an American League deal in Providence. So that was kind of my path. Um, so how does that work? Sorry. Cuz I thought I thought that their time frame elapsed and you did that on purpose because you didn’t want to go to Phoenix. So, they didn’t even offer you a contract coming out of college. That’s what you’re saying. It was mutual. Yeah. They didn’t. No, they they actually asked if I wanted to come play on atto. And I I asked some guys, my my brother who was my roommate, and he actually graduated same year I did. He’s three years older, did a couple years of junior, and he uh he had signs an ATO out in San Jose. So he went out and he played a couple games and was there for their playoff run uh with the Barracuda. Um and I wasn’t right. So I they wanted me to come play. I just didn’t see a point in it. Like they had four years to watch me. Yeah. And at that point I I probably would have played if I was if I was a free agent at the end of the year and I could play anywhere. I probably would have played somewhere where I want to be. like just it just worked out that you know they had four years to watch me in college and you know they didn’t talk to me that much or they weren’t very interested that that’s fine worked out for me. Um, but yeah, I just decided I didn’t want to go out there play on a amateur triyout. Just imagine you could have potentially played with me out. I was out there. That would have been a dream for you, wouldn’t it have been? It would. It really would have been. I’d be doing whatever I want out there. Just a king of the castle. I was noticing when you were in Quinnipic, speaking of doing whatever you want, you had 106 pims your first year in Quinnipic. How How on earth? Because you don’t fight in college. The most I had in one year was 101 at Michigan Tech. How did you get 106 pimps your freshman year, Connor? I I had I had four majors. So that was five and 10 right there. There’s 60. And that’s how I got checking from behind. I think there was two two head contacts, one check from behind, one board. Two check from behind. You didn’t learn your lesson. Uh I did after that year. I learned it in the summertime. So, you’re you’re in the off season. You didn’t sign with Phoenix. Was there a lot of different offers? Did was Providence did they give you the option? Was it just an AHL? Was it an East Coast? How did that work out? It was It was an AHL oneway. Okay. Um and one offer only Providence. Providence and Bingington. Oh, yeah. And you picked the hometown team, obviously. Well, I I talked to my agent. Like Providence basically had zero righties. Like I got scratched 20some games my first year promp. And when I got scratched, we played six leftyd. Wild. That’s when you know you’re bad. When you’re rolling out six lefty and you’re a writing, you can’t even crack the lineup. Yeah. Yeah. So struggle. But then fast forward two years because you made the jump to the NHL the very next year. played what 16 games with the Boston Bruins. And this wasn’t a Bruins team that was the Phoenix Coyotes. This was a Bruins team that was a Stanley Cup contender. You know, President’s Trophy type talent there. How does that happen where you go from getting healthy scratch 20 games to making the NHL the very next year? Yeah. I mean, I I just, you know, I worked I got better my first year. And by the end of that year, I had I was playing like a lot more and playing consistently through the through the through those American League playoffs. And what ended up happening was I actually sometime in March or must been the it was the NHL trade deadline. We had traded Rob Ogara from Providence for he went to New York I think for Nick Holden. So Ogara was on Providence. He was up and down all year, but at that time, so when he left, that was like kind of an opening for me. It’s kind of how I snuck my way in consistently. Yeah. Um and then the rest of the year went great for me. Um and then when Well, it must have been because you go to Boston at the end of the season. Yeah. So then I I finished that year. I ended up sending my signing my entry level, I guess, two days after our season ended. We lost to Lehi in I think round one. Um, and then, you know, then I’m on my first NHL contract, right? I was 23. I was 23, so it was a two-year deal. And then in November of that, my first year of my entry level deal or contract, I found myself as the 12th D to play in the NHL for Boston that year. So, so the opportunity I had, it was some injuries made an opportunity for me and I feel like I took the most of it. I’m a faithful guy. I call it God’s providence because yeah, 12 guys getting hurt is not normal. Typically, one or two guys get hurt and maybe eight or nine defenseman play on a roster. 12 for a team, Connor, that was destined for potentially the Stanley Cup. You step in being the 12D and it was like peanut butter and jelly. You fit right in with this roster. What was it like? And I want to spend some time here cuz that first year, that’s a hell of a first year to come into the NHL. You’re stepping into a a locker room with Marian having his best year statistically. You got Pasta who’s just coming into his own. You obviously got Berseran and Kichchi. You got Charara for Pete’s sake, Bakis Macko. You have all these stars and you’re this young kid fresh off being a free agent, a healthy scratch last year in Providence and now you’re playing big minutes in Boston. What’s going through your head? Like that’s crazy stuff. Yeah, it’s crazy. I mean, it brings me back to basically like you know how it is for college guys. I never even went to a Boston development camp because I was never I was with Arizona. Yeah. Um so I didn’t know anyone. I showed up basically two weeks end of August, two weeks early for like my first Boston main camp. I went to the rookie camp uh whatever the week before, but everyone all the NHL guys are skating there already. So I show up, not only do I have to meet, you know, 60 people, I also have to walk in the room and, you know, Bergie and Big Z and Marsh and Cretch and Tuka are just sitting there on foam rollers. So, you know, it for that it’s like I feel like major junior guys have such an advantage. It’s, you know, I was 22 at the time, um, before my first year, and those 18-year-olds that got drafted four years before, they’re at their fourth or fifth camp. It’s like, yeah, like they’re And these are your idols you’re walking into. Like, you probably love the Bruins growing up. Was it Is it intimidating? Did you play your best that camp? What’s that like? Like, that’s crazy. No, I didn’t. No, I didn’t. you get a little star struck and you uh and you just you try to survive at that point because you’re just you’re out of your you’re out of your element and you’re meeting all this you’re like wow like big Z is doing you know edge work warm-up drills and I’m just like what am I doing here? Uh so so obviously you did did you make the team out of camp? I don’t think so. No no my first year no I was only on American League deal. Okay. Your second year, my So, my second year, that was the first year of my entry level. I ended up getting sent down pretty early, too. Um, and then you get called back up and then it’s just playoff time. Let’s talk about that because this is the team that goes to the Stanley Cup final. I was looking at the box scores and I’m I’m trying to track, you know, this game. It’s the Bruins are on their way to a Stanley Cup. You’re a 23 year old kid still. You’re playing for your hometown team. You’re playing in the playoffs. 18 games. Game seven, what happened? Game six, you played, you played game five, 4, 3, 2, 1. Why did you not dress game seven? I want to know that because you ended up losing five to one to the St. Louis Blues. What happened, Connor, between game six and seven? What did you say to the coach? Well, I honestly didn’t say anything. I we we got hotel rooms at at the Four Seasons in Boston the night before and Oh, you went out and you missed curfew. Typical Connor. God, no. God, no. Um, so we had like team dinner and at that point Grizzy I played most of the playoffs with Grizz. In game one, he actually got hit. He got boarded. He ended up getting a concussion and he so he missed games two through six and I played with Johnny Moore. Um, and then so at that dinner, Grizz was taking the concussion test, try to get back, try to get back. Uh, all through the all through the series and I knew that obviously I’m talking to him about it. Um, and the night before he had passed, so I knew he could potentially be in. I don’t know if I’m playing with him or if he’s playing with I don’t know what’s happening. Yeah. So I I ended up finding we go to morning skate. I don’t think we morning skate, but we went to the rink and I found out then yeah, I found out then and and Butch Cassie had pulled me aside and basically was just like, you know what, I want to go I want to go with the veteran lineup and I’m not going to sit there and cry about it. I said, listen, I did my job. Let’s go. Let’s win the stand kind of thing. What’s that like sitting watching game seven after you battled the whole playoffs? Is that torture? Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Um because I I I love a good pregame nap. So after lunch I go home and I go down, you know, I don’t know, a little short of two hours, hour and a half maybe. I couldn’t even sleep. I didn’t even try. My stomach was in knots. Just all I’m doing I’m a spectator that night. Right. So yeah, I took I was there because you know Big Z had a broken jaw just in case. But I So I was taking warm-ups, but I couldn’t even nap. So tell Mike I I’ve been around playoff runs but never playing. You know I played a couple games with Chicago but not to the extent that you did. You’re obviously a huge part of that team being so young. You were still a big part of that team. What was it like? Like you’re one win away from winning the Stanley Cup in game six. And you know you’re you’re in the mix. It’s you’re with these legends, these future Hall of Famers. What? Give me a glimpse of what that’s like for a rookie Connor Clifton being in that situation. I I might have been a rookie and I wasn’t up for the whole regular season, but man, did I feel part of that team like those guys do the world class and making you feel part of it, making you feel welcome. And I actually I guess a little story on that. I uh first game of Carolina, game one of Carolina, we had just beat Columbus in six games and I played most of the playoff with Grizz Grizzy on third pair and Mroy actually got suspended. He hit Anderson. They ended up giving him one game suspension. So game one of the Carolina series and I remember I was lined up with Big Z. So, you know, that’s pretty pretty insane. and little nervous, you know, we we’re practiced the day before together and little nervous. I don’t know if it’s going to stick, but now it’s, you know, pregame skate. We practice together and I mean, he’s just he’s incredible. Like kind of just came over me like we were in the shower and he came over to me and said, “Listen, Cliffy, we’re equals tonight. I don’t go sideways pretty quick.” He was like, “Yeah, yeah, right.” Okay. We had towels on right outside the shower. Okay, good. and he was like, “We’re in the shower.” And he grabs the soap. We’re we’re equals, you know, tonight. Let’s talk to each other. We hadn’t played much much if at all together to be honest before that. We’re equals. He tells me, you know, we’re in this together. Let’s go. Let’s talk. Let’s compete. And you know, it was it was crazy crazy moment. We played great together and then we won that game and then Mroy served his time, came back. We end up sweeping Carolina. But that was that was a pretty cool moment for me as as young. Yeah. Was he as good? Like what what made him so good? Because as a defense when I played for a long time, there’s there isn’t so much you can do to reinvent the wheel. Like what made him so good? Because he’s massive human. I get that. But I feel like there was more that he did with the puck and without the puck that made him so good. I don’t know. You played with him. Like why was he so good? He was He was a competitor. He practiced like he was playing in round three, game one of the Stanley Cup final. No kidding. He he he was on like that. He was on and then when he was off the ice, he was off. So he world class player. I mean guy. The way he took care of himself. I mean he just he practiced the same way. Everything was hard, right? I mean super skilled, super long stick, great skater for being 69. And I mean he he wouldn’t get beat. He was just so good at closing and taking pucks and then boom, then next thing you know, he has the puck on the stick, he’s hitting the middle, the center support middle, easy exit. Uh, and I played with him. I mean, he might he was late 30s, if not 40 when I started playing with him, right? Yeah. So, I’m he was in the league. I think he had games. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Maybe 24, honestly. 1500 games my first or second year. So I was like 15. It’s like I got 15. Oh my god. Yeah. Yeah. Right. So you had this veteran lineup with him and Berseron and Kachchie and Tuka was older and Bakas was old. What was the vibe like in the room after the loss because you’re at home, the place is going nuts and then obviously it didn’t go like everybody wanted. You lose four to one. Grizzy scored the the goal for you guys to kind of make it a game. But I don’t know. put words to that moment because you’re obviously there, you know, you’re in the room with these guys, they’re coming off the ice. Is it just pissed or everyone’s just like I’m done? It’s more heartbroken. Yeah, obviously how it played out. Um, I think I mean the team we had I I think everyone in that room was certain we were going to win. Yeah. So, yeah, just heartbreak. I mean, that’s tough. I can tell you’re you’re holding back tears. I don’t want to stay here too long and you’re getting a little sentimental. So, the next few years, you solidify yourself in this roster. You become a big part of this team. You’re you’re playing good minutes. You’re playing 60 70 eventually like 78 games your last season. And I want to fast forward to that last season because I’d be remiss not to talk about the best regular season in NHL history. And you guys get 135 points. It’s Patrice Berseron’s last year. You had your careerhigh in points that year. What What happened? How did you guys win every single game you played in and get 135 points? Like, was it just everything’s going right? Nothing’s going wrong, nobody really got hurt, both goalies were clicking. Like, talk about that because that’s I’ve never experienced that where everything was rolling your way. That’s exactly what was happening. Um, we had 65 wins. the regular season went I mean couldn’t have gotten better obviously even the games we were bad we’d end up winning like you know how it is 82 games it gets long season you’re gonna have off nights and when we did our goalies were brick walls back there Swayman and allark like as a better duo Swayman and Mark or would you rather have Hawk and Ras feeling pretty good with any of the four you know what I feeling pretty good with any of the four. Um, and we I mean in Boston we always played so such a structured defense. Yeah. So, of course, breakdowns happen, but you know, when they did, we still, you know, gave up a B chance, right? So, but man, when we when we gave up those great A’s, we were we were lucky. We were lucky back there. Yeah, it was so unstoppable. Well, then obviously I have to talk about this again. Much like the Stanley Cup game seven loss, you’ve been a part of some pretty massive like moments in Boston history in game sevens, but um you play Florida. Florida first round. Obviously, you were the number one seed there, the number eight seed. You go up three to one. Things are looking pretty good. Again, this was pretty recent. What What the hell happened? What? How does that slip through your fingers? Was it? My theory is, and correct me if I’m wrong, Patrice Berseron should not have played. I think he was selfish and played game five, six, and seven, and you lost all three of those games. I think he should have sat out. And I know you feel the same way because you’re not saying anything. Well, I thought you were going to say I thought you were going to say when he got injured, I think, you know, he gets injured in game 82, which I mean, that’s super unfortunate, but Oh, no. It was his It was him coming back. I’m just making a joke. What happened? Because like you guys were rolling, Connor, what happened? I mean, he wanted to play in Montreal. Oh, in in the playoff you’re saying? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I you know I I don’t really know what happened. There was just I felt like the the regular season had gone so well. We didn’t really face that adversity and then the deadline hits and we get even better, right? We get B, we get Buzzi, we get Or we get Haway. So, we’ve become an even better team and then we just keep winning. And then the 65 the the record was coming up and we don’t really care about a record, right? We want to win the Stanley Cup. But then we still play so good. Yeah. And everything was clicking. Everything was clicking. And then Yeah, we got we met our match Florida. I mean, yeah, they might have been the eight seed, but they weren’t really an eight seed. They were president’s trophies the year before. They were a good team and you know I I wish I wish I could sit here and say we underestimate them but I don’t think they did. We did. We They were just good. They beat us. Yeah. Could you feel they obviously made the cup final that year, the first of three straight. Could you feel that? Okay. This team is there’s something different with this team. Yeah. Yeah. They’re like I mean the way they grind is like Yeah. No other team plays like Florida. And if if I was running a team, I would run my team exactly the way they play. They’re just so hard to play against. Well, and here’s my question. They have in that room, too, is absolutely massive. But the way they grind and wear you down. Yeah, but why can’t why can’t you guys do that? Why? And and I played I don’t know the answer to this either, but it’s bizarre when you see a team like Florida be so successful and they have their star players doing that. And I don’t want you to answer this, but it is it’s a headscratcher. And it goes back to my point of guys doing things that maybe they can do. They just don’t want to. So anyways, you know, you’re still playing. You can’t talk about it. But your contract’s up in Boston. Did you want to stay? How did those negotiations go? Was it was it flashing back to Phoenix where they say, “We don’t want you. You’re going to leave.” No. No, it wasn’t. I think I I think what ended up happening I think I was looking for more money and they didn’t really have that to give. They obviously their roster changed huge that next year and they ended up signing Shatenkirk. He played you know right D3. I think he was one. So and yeah, if they had him at 1-1, they probably had me at a little less. So I it was time to hit the open market and and move on. and you’re a coveted right-handed defenseman, like you said, those are hard to come by in the NHL, especially one who is decent with the puck, who is physical, who has some speed, who has some experience coming off playing the best season in regular season history. You’re a playoff proven person. How many teams were beating down your door? There must have been dozens. Uh, not dozens. There’s probably about five teams. Okay. So, why B why Buffalo? Was it just because they threw the Brinks truck at you? Just be honest. No, no. I mean, I I had played for Donnie Granado at the national team, actually. So, I was in immediately intrigued by that because his I mean, great hockey mind. I love playing him playing for him in junior. Um, and that was a big part of my decision to go to Buffalo. And obviously that was and my wife had said to me, oh, like you know what happens if we’re we’re you want to go here for Donnie, but now what happens if he gets fired? like, “Oh, he’s not getting fired.” They they one point out of the playoffs. Like, look what he look what he’s done to that team. And and then we obviously regressed heavily the past two years of from that team that, you know, I think they beat us actually that year. Buffalo beat us in overtime. Beat us when I was in Boston, my last year in Boston. So they were just high skilled, highf flying, so many passes, buzzing her up and down the ice, getting scoring chances. Sure, giving some up, but scoring more. You know, I was kind of running and gun style and and I wanted to play for Donnie. So yeah, you had Donnie Granado, you had this young core of Dene and Thompson and Purka and Cousins and Power and all these great young players. It’s it’s a smart Alex Tuck was there who was great. You join this team and you just mentioned regression. I was in Buffalo. I I’ve been a part of that struggle and that just it’s just a weird hump you can’t get over. What’s I I want to talk about the cultures because you’re coming from Boston which I I’ve always wanted to play for the Bruins. I grew up loving the Bruins. They were my team. I’ve heard nothing but good things about that culture where the guys are just rock solid humans. the ownership, the GMs, everything. It’s just a good hockey culture where there’s accountability. And then you go to Buffalo and it was like that when I got there in Buffalo. So, it’s not I think it’s the same ownership and everything. Maybe it’s changed a little bit, but I know it’s still fresh. You were there this year. Can you talk about the differences between culture between the Bruins and the Sab? Like, what makes the Bruins so good and the Sabres for the last 15 years seem to just can’t figure it out? I mean, I think, you know, going into Boston, you have that I mean, that leadership group when I came when I came into the league was just I mean, might be some of some of the best players. Just legendamers, right? Yeah. Oh, Hall of Famers by far. Just legends of the game. And I feel like in that situation, it’s easy to just get in line. You know, if they’re putting in the work, what what are you gonna sit there and not put in the work? No, you’re gonna you’re gonna put in everything you have for those guys. And that’s kind of how and that’s how Yeah, I felt that way too coming going into Chicago or San Jose. When you see Jonathan Taves or Joe Thornton or these guys bagging themselves, it’s like, okay, I should probably do that, too, because he’s one of the best players on the planet. So, you’re coming into a Buffalo team that was up and coming. Do you take a leadership role right away? Because you you’ve seen what it takes. How does that first interaction go? I I mean when I first got to Buffalo I just couldn’t figure it out honestly. I’m sure I was culture shocked but I was terrible when those games started I didn’t know what kind of player I was. I was awful and it took me about 25 games. I end I was playing left side with Eric Johnson. So I was playing the left. It was not going well and I was struggling mentally. Were you trying to do stuff that you is not your game? Because you mentioned earlier I just play my game. That’s what got me here. Were you trying to do too much? I I I think I was trying I think I was trying to play the same way, but it was so different. Like I just our Dzone was so different. And we would give I I would I would give up a goal every night. And I’m like for 25 games basically, maybe not that many, but it took me 25 games to get going. And coincidentally, we had our game in Boston, our first game in Boston, and I went back and I felt I don’t know if it was, maybe I say coincidentally, but you know, obviously comfortable with the arena. I felt I like I found my game back and it literally took 25 games. That’s almost half a year. It’s the third of the year. No kidding. I did finish that year plus 12. So, you must have figured it out. But I was – 9 or – 10 at the time. That’s crazy to go from -9. Yeah, maybe more. Honestly, maybe more, maybe minus 13. Like I was so bad and I couldn’t figure it out and I didn’t know what to try, what to do. Um, so yeah, I was a little culture shocked and eventually I settled in and, you know, found my way. I had a good half of the season, but I also think if I had found my game sooner, I could have helped that year. Yeah. And then obviously, listen, I I want Buffalo to win as much as I the next guys, I’m sure, as you do. So this year happens and it seemed like nothing went right this season. Um obviously new coach full season under Lindy Ruff. You would have moments of greatness. I I remember I came to the game, you guys played Carolina, you played fantastic, but then there’d be stretches where nothing went right and everybody seemed disjointed and it was just it wasn’t a cohesive team. Like you said, you didn’t have that leadership. So I’m not going to stick on that a little bit or or too much. I want to talk about what happened during the season. Obviously Tage Thompson, he gets ran. Dirty hit. Nobody steps up. Not your fault. You weren’t on the ice. He makes the comment the next day. How does that gut the team? Like how does that how does that happen in the locker room? Because you’re a guy who stands up. I saw you go after Rad Kudas last season when when he went after Zucker and buried him. So you would have gone after the guy. I know that. But what’s going on in the locker room because kind of not a great season? Tage says that. what’s said in the locker room. Uh yeah, I mean it was tough. I actually I was scratched that game, so I was in the press box. So, of course, we addressed 7D, so I was up up in the press box as the HD Conor and uh Yeah. Oh, no comments. Yeah, that’s um what was said. I mean, I don’t think I think I I mean, watching it’s obviously bad. Yeah, to me it’s like the guys on the ice, they didn’t see it, right? So, they didn’t see what happened and it sucks, but our best players laying on the ice and got closlined. Puck nowhere near to obviously Nosen had the puck. Yeah. And moved the puck and just totally unnecessary, but whatever. I’m not on the ice. I mean, I don’t think there was we had a we had a meeting we had a team meeting the next day and you know, we got lit up and naturally I think I don’t think anything was said by Kevin or Lindy that we didn’t already feel right. Well, yeah, Lindy’s an old school coach. Like he wants someone’s head when that happens to your best player. What do the players say anything? Does somebody say something to Tage like Tom or sorry man like we we should have stepped up? Like what? No. No. No, we don’t really say anything to Conmer, but I feel for Tomer. I feel like Yeah, he deserves to know that we have his back. Um, and unfortunately, we didn’t there. And obviously, the next game I I think Gibby ends up fighting Olivier. Um, not good. That one. Yeah, not good. Olivier is the toughest guy in the league. So, he did he did he did he did way better than I would have. Yeah, we had Matthew on this show. The guy’s a killer. Yeah. And uh you know that was Gibby’s way of showing he actually he didn’t get a shift after uh Nosam had hit hitter that game. Yeah. So and he’s the guy who would have answered the bell. Dennis Gilbert 100%. 100%. All right. So I Yeah. I just I I hear those things and Gilbert see he’s a he’s a decently tough guy but he’s not a Connor Clifton. Don’t get me wrong. Like you’re an absolutely way tougher than me. I’ve seen you chuck them. So there’s that issue. the season ends. How does your year- end meeting go with Kevin Adams? Because like usually you can get a sense of how you still have one year more more year on your deal. So, you know, you want to be a big part of this team. How does that go? Because you did play what you played 70ome games this past season. Yeah. 73. Um Yeah. I mean, Kevin, he he’s trying to figure it out and he’s looking for anything that would help. All he’s trying to do is make the Buffalo Sabres better, whatever he can. Obviously, we had nothing went right. So, can we blame one thing? No, we can’t. We We defended poorly. We couldn’t score when we defended well. Yeah. It was like we were all over the place. Sometimes we didn’t even compete on pucks. We just thought it was we would under for whatever reason, we would prepare. Not I don’t even think we I don’t I wouldn’t feel it. We wouldn’t prepare differently, but we would, you know, we’re playing LA. We’d give them a run for their money. We’d play these good teams, Winnipeg, like we’ve had some great games. Minnesota, these hard-nosed teams that you play the top standings. And we would we would give we would give up six great A’s, and then we would play San Jose at home and give up 30 great A’s and lose six to two when we’re still on the hunt of playoffs. Um, so that’s more or less how the season went. We, like I said, I don’t think it’s one thing. We just No. And that’s I think that’s the issue. There’s no consistency. And that’s the frustrating part for a player is, you know, you can play good. It’s just the good teams play consistently. One of the most highly skilled teams I’ve ever been on. Oh, no kidding. Yeah. So, the year- end meeting, you step in with Kevin. Does he tell you like, “Hey, I don’t know where your future’s headed, so keep your phone on.” No, he doesn’t. He doesn’t. But I mean, um I I wasn’t very surprised by it. You know, one year left, you’d think there’s a chance. And there was. It It was actually kind of funny. I mean, you’re just honest at the end like the year didn’t go well. There were games. I mean, I ended up there was a stretch of 20 games where I’d play 11 minutes a night and I was just pissed off all the time. Like, I don’t I’m not gonna sit here and complain about ice time like ever, but I was playing 11 minutes and I’m like, obviously you don’t feel good with 11 minutes. You don’t Well, you’re a touches, right? Yeah, of course. And it’s bizarre when you go from and I I know it doesn’t mean much, but you’re playing on the best team in the on the planet two years before and you’re getting like 18 minutes a night, so you know you’re good enough to play. So that’s I get it. So going into this off season, you knew something could happen. And what’s that like when you get the phone call? Uh it was I was just we’re in Boston where we have this little two-bed condo. So, I actually put my daughter down and I had I didn’t see Kevin had texted me and called while I was in there. So, I’m walking out now. My wife’s already in bed like, “Cali’s going down for a nap. We got an hour to nap. Let’s get right.” So, we’re about to nap. And I I’m setting up. I’m getting the the camera on my phone so I can see. And I see Kevin calling and my wife’s already laying down. I’m like, “Oh, Kevin’s calling.” Not good. I show her and she’s like, “Oh, where are we going? Where are we going?” Oh, no. She said that. Been part of that. We Yeah. Yeah. So, I’m like, “Oh.” So, I went in our bathroom and uh answered and he let me know. Pittsburgh, what’s your initial thoughts? Like, because you you want to you hope you can go somewhere to a winning team, right? Or just a good situation. What’s your initial thought? You got Crosby, Malin, Latang, Carl, like talk about Hall of Famers. All four of them gonna be Hall of Famers. Yeah. Yeah. I was crap your pants, you know? I was I was pretty excited um when I found out it was P. Obviously shocked at first you’re like oh you’re in a whirlwind but then you said Pittsburgh paying us like you know talked to Kevin finish our conversation hang up I’m like oh man Pittsburgh like I mean I haven’t spent much time in Pittsburgh just playing really but I mean you talk about the team it’s obviously like legends right it’s loaded with legends but it has has its issues you’re stepping into a situation where it’s like we need to win now to milk the rest of these the prime out of these these guys. But from my perspective, I’ve been traded with a family, too, and a new baby. Your wife, is she on board? Cuz now she’s got to Oh, yeah. You got to go pack up Buffalo. You got to figure out housing. You got to, you know, there’s a lot of moving parts here. So, she’s like getting a Buffalo jackpot. Yeah. No, not necessarily. I mean, we like our daughter was born in Buffalo, so you know, our first home as a family of three was is Buffalo. So, I’m not going to sit here and say I hated it. I didn’t. I we had a great time in Buffalo, but you know, it’s it’s a chance for it’s a fresh start and a chance to move on. And that’s part of this business. You don’t get many years uh of playing. You obviously know and so we’re we’re really excited for the opportunity. And logistically speaking, yeah, there’s a lot more to do. It it uh it adds some some things to our to-do list and we actually have a family vacation in the Outer Banks coming up here early August. So, we’re like, “No, I got to tell my mom, oh, we got to leave a couple days early.” But, but that’s okay. That’s okay. No, a fresh start is good. I I trust me, I was a suitcase. I know this. It gives you a chance to kind of reintroduce yourself to a new GM, a new a new staff, and it’s a fresh start. You obviously didn’t have a first good impression with the Sabres. You said 25 games, it took you a while to get your footing. Are you excited to go to Pittsburgh? It’s it’s a new system. It’s it’s a new D partner. It’s new everything. Are you nervous? What are you going to do differently to kind of just start fresh, start better, I guess. I I think I’m just going to kind of get back to my roots. Am I Am I nervous? I mean, sure, there’s nerves. You know, you’re starting something new, but yeah, I uh I am excited. And I actually I work out at BEu with uh I work out with Hazy, Nolachari, uh Grizz, and Justin Brazo, who just signed Pit in Pit. He we all work out together. So, it’s kind of funny. We’re we’re we’re making jokes that Pittsburgh management has uh cameras in our gym and they watch us work out every day because last year they traded for Hazy. They had signed Grizz. This year they traded me signed Braz. That’s so funny. Like, all right, he’s done. Let’s get him. So, you’re in two two years ago or whatever. You get to play with the legends. It’s It’s gonna be I hopefully good for you. I don’t want to keep you too long. We’ve already been 38 minutes cheapers. We’ve been talking like little little ladies here. But I got some questions for you. So, coming from my Slack, this guy’s a big big Bruins fan. He wants to know um what influenced you? It’s coming from Matt McFarland or McFarland. Weird name. He knows what influenced your physical play style and which guys did you look up to growing up because it’s not normal for a guy your size to be doing what you do. This is a funny one. Scott Stevens. [Laughter] So you wanted to look up to a player and you said Stevens. No. No. I just He was exhilarating to watch. Um I I mean growing up I I’m the middle of three boys. So I have an older and younger brother. Three and four year age gap. So, I mean, I I had best of both worlds. I got beat up by my older brother and I beat up my younger brother. So, I saw both sides of it, but I used to love playing with my older brother Tim. We we played junior hockey together and high school hockey together. He’s he was senior when I was a freshman and and he’s he’s pretty similar to be honest. He’s a competitor, too. I mean, not not as competitive as me. Of course not. You’re way more. always he was he was always bigger so I had to you know I had to really earn it. Um so that’s kind of what I had growing up and I feel like just the physical play has always you know been part of me and it’s it’s it’s got me to the next level every single time how I play physical and compete on pucks and I you know what’s your favorite hit that you’ve laid out on somebody favorite hit? Huh? Yeah. The one you look back, you’re like, I blew that guy up. That was a good one. Bringing I had actually pretty big one in uh actually in college. We were playing the Frozen 4. We had played We were playing North Dakota in the final in Tampa 2016. No way. And I’m trying to think of the play. It was like an offensive neutral zone. and it ended up getting one back to me and I totally like mishandled it and I basically gave it right to the other team and then a righty came down the left wall and I kind of just swung with him in the middle and he chose to cut to the middle and I was just waiting for him. Bam. Uh but then they spanked us five to one so it wasn’t as good. But that one hit give me a pro one so I can look it up. I’m not going to be able to find that on YouTube. No, you got a bunch. Stop being so humble. I don’t have one in their mind. I wish I did. How do you not? My My best one is MueL Grosski, New York Islander. They buried that guy. Absolutely decleleted him. Nothing. I got nothing right now. I’m trying to think get getting back to the bench and someone saying, “Holy, you know, holy snikes.” All right. Well, that what a terrible answer, Connor. I appreciate that. All right. We’ll do a couple more. Um, something I want to know. Charara has been renowned for his wrestling skills and I I played with Bernzie for three, four years and we would wrestle quite a bit. Have you wrestled Charara? Is this true or is this an urban legend? [Laughter] Yes, you have wrestled him. I’ve never wrestled Charara, you know. Have you seen him wrestle? I have not, but So, it’s a it’s a legend. This guy doesn’t wrestle. It’s all just lore. I could see him wrestling like big black bears and and listen. Okay. All right. Well, let’s do some quick hits. This is kind of more for me because I I like to know what’s going on. Who’s the hardest guy to defend in the NHL now? Defend. Yeah. Like your defense why? Just because he’s shifty. So deceptive. Sees the whole ice so well. Panaran. I mean, gosh, your division’s so tough. It is. It is. I mean, obviously, McDavid speed, I’m I’m not usually out there against them unless I’m peeing, right? But I mean, I’ve played I’ve played Tampa so many times. Yeah. And I mean, Cutra, he’s just fun to watch, honestly. No kidding. Not fun to defend, but to watch. All right. What’s uh who’s the hardest guy to block their shot? Because coov not really a shooter, more of a disher. Who’s the guy where it’s just like man he’s it’s hard to get in front of that shot? Obie is still pointing. That’s my side. Oh, still. Yeah, he he rips that thing like what’s it like when you know you’re you’re killing penalties and I played when Shay Weber was in the league so I know what it’s like and they go to him every time and you’re like I’m going to I’m going to get buried on this and you know it’s not low like it’s going far side high. So, what’s it like fronting him cuz you’re you’re in the slot and you got to like what do you do? Yeah. You can’t go on a knee back by the crease. You got to get out of, you know, and and you can anticipate it when Carlson’s just pulling the F1 out and he’s waiting to come to Obie for I mean, I remember one time I had to eat two and one PK. They just kept going. It was it was playoffs and I just had to go there down on the knee. First one hit my stick, which was great. And then the next one, then the next one buried me. Yeah. [Music] What’s your your best D partner you’ve had? Best D partner. Yeah, Charara for that one game. Yeah. Legend. All right. Who’s the most skilled guy you’ve played against? Is it Coov? Just there’s I mean, he comes to mind obviously for obvious reasons. Yeah. Um gosh, there were some good players you played against. Yeah. Yeah. Um, yeah, I would say him on quick. I mean, I played him so many times and like I said, he’s so like I’m a big like close at the blue, right? So, try to use the blue line, you know, help you out. Can’t do that on him. Just got to just because he’ll he’ll pull up, he’ll go deep. He’ll pull up. He’s just so deceptive. He’s so deceptive. Like, and he’s not the I mean, sure, he’s fast, but he’s not the fastest player. No, just his change of speed and his deception is out of this world. You just don’t know where he’s going. Yeah. Yeah. And he sees the whole ice. So, it’s like Yeah, that’s amazing. Yeah. All right. I I I flew by this, but we were talking about skilled guys and you said one of the most skilled guys you played with was JJ Purka. And before we get off the show, I trust me, I know you don’t want to answer this. What the hell happened? Because you got this skilled kid, 23 years old, probably like got sky’s the limit for his future. Did you h see any animosity or friction this year between him and just anybody because he’s so good. He is so skilled. He’s when when he when he was on this year, he’s the best player on the ice. Wow. And then when he’s off, he’s far from it. Um Okay. But there were still pretty good. Yeah, he’s he’s he’s he’s going to he’s going to tear up this league. And so what happened? Why would Buffalo not want to obviously he didn’t want to stay, but I’m sure. Did you get the feeling that there was issues? Did want to keep him. Yeah. Uh yeah, I could I don’t think I don’t think Buffalo was the place where he saw himself long term. Um, obviously highly skilled and he’s sometimes you could lose that, you know, compete and that puck battle for sure. Um, but man, when he was when he was on, he was dangerous. Yeah, I don’t want you to get you in trouble. So, say no more. It’s just you don’t see a guy like that being traded every day. So, yeah. and he’s obviously now Buffalo’s losing their arguably two most skilled players this offseason. So I I don’t know what Kevin’s doing and you and Purka. So we’ll see how it works out for him next year. I I don’t get it. I don’t get this franchise, Connor. But anyways, last one. Advice for kids. You’re obviously a well-versed guy. You went to college for four years. Did you get your degree? You must have. I did. Mechanical engineering. Shut the front door. You too, right? You too. What engineering did you do? Mechanical. Oh, you were mechanical, too? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I knew it was engineering. Unbelievable. Yeah. Yeah. I had no clue. Isn’t that bizarre? I was going to mention that before when we hopped on before the Oh my gosh. You can work for my firm when you’re done. Do you want to move to Traverse City, Michigan? Maybe. It’s beautiful. It’s a beautiful city. But advice to kids because you you’ve obviously worked your tail off to get to where you are. You appreciate everything. I can tell. Some advice to kids. If you were to if you were to see young Connor, 9 years old, ripping around the rink, what would you say to him? I mean, a couple things. I mean, I would say work hard and have fun doing it because yeah, it is great and hockeyy’s given me so much in my life. Um, and then another thing is get good grades because maybe it’s cliche, but my mom was always big in academics. My dad was athletics, right? and he loves hockey. So, it I kind of had the best of both worlds where I had to, you know, I had to get good grades or my mom was going to I was going to get in some trouble. Yeah. So, uh so it was good for me. And then, you know, then you get to high school and you’re looking at colleges and you’re like, you know, you want all the options. You don’t want to be your grades the the limiting factor in where you decide to go to college. Um, and then on for me, if I saw my nine-year-old self, I’d tell myself to pick my head up, right? So, I mean, like, when you have the puck, pick your head up, right? It’s obviously it’s obviously such an important part. And the less time you’re looking at the puck, the more ice you see. And that’s what I would tell myself if I was talking to a 10-year-old Connor, especially in today’s game. All right, one more one more question. I want if if you could light up one guy in the NHL, who would it be? Like with a hit. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Come on. McDavid, catch him across the middle. No. All right. Nobody. A good one. This is a good one. Yeah. You want to I don’t usually I don’t usually I don’t usually play differently. If it’s someone I mean, if it’s someone highly skilled, I’ll be a little more cautious when I’m defending. Um, if I could hit someone, huh? Trying to think. Hardest hit I ever took. Oh, I know it. You could look up this hit, too. Felino, the moose. Moose hit me so hard one time. Hardest hit I’ve ever took by far. No kidding. He’s a good dude. Good Catholic guy. Yeah, he hit me so hard. I was coming around the net. It was like kind of a race to the puck. Moose met me on the other side. Greenway was chasing and he greener says he didn’t see this. We talked about it. He gave me a little nudge forward. Ah, and I was coming and Moose hit me so hard. Very. I was coming around. So net was here. I was coming around the goalie’s blocker side and Greener pushed me and Moose met me on that other side and my stick went my Why is Greenway pushing you? He was He was trying to get me lit up on the other side. Oh my gosh, what a what a guy. We We played against each other in college. We kind of always went at it. Unbelievable. All right. Well, listen. I don’t want to keep you anymore. You You’ve been great, man. I’ve kept you 20 minutes longer than I said you would. I appreciate it. Good luck with the move. Um good luck with the family and the little baby. Um, and good luck with Pittsburgh. You know, tear it up, man. I I hope you play well with those legends and we’ll talk soon. Thank you very much, Conor. [Music] [Applause] [Music]

We talk to Connor about his time with the Bruins, his thoughts on what happened in Buffalo and looking forward to playing with the Penguins.

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