The Penguins bolstered their right side of the defense and added another high pick on Day 2 of the draft on Saturday.
The Penguins entered the day with zero selections in the second round, but quickly changed that. They traded defensemen Conor Timmins and Isaac Belliveau to the Sabres for defenseman Connor Clifton and the 39th overall pick, which they used on WHL defenseman Peyton Kettles.
Timmins, 26, was set to be a restricted free agent. He only played 17 games with the Penguins after being acquired from Toronto at the trade deadline, recording a goal, six assists and a plus-9 rating in a third-pairing role. Belliveau, 22, was the Penguins' 2021 fifth-round pick and spent the majority of his first two pro seasons in Wheeling.
Essentially ... not much.
That 39th overall pick was the real centerpiece of the return here. But in Clifton, they're also getting a real NHL defenseman for the immediate future.
Clifton, 30, is a right-handed defenseman listed at 5-foot-11 and 192 pounds. Last year was his second year in Buffalo, where he had one goal, 15 assists and was a minus-6 in 73 games. The first six seasons of his professional career were spent in the Bruins' organization.
Clifton is only signed for one more season at a $3,333,333 cap hit. He'll be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Obviously, the 30-year-old Clifton isn't in any long-term plans. But that 39th overall pick, Kettles, can be. And Clifton, only signed through next season when the Penguins likely won't be contenders, doesn't handcuff them and complicate the future in any way.
The Penguins gave up a free agent and a low-level prospect for a warm body for the NHL roster next season and another good prospect.
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THE ASYLUM
Taylor Haase
4:50 pm - 06.28.2025DowntownPenguins acquire defenseman Clifton, pick
The Penguins bolstered their right side of the defense and added another high pick on Day 2 of the draft on Saturday.
The Penguins entered the day with zero selections in the second round, but quickly changed that. They traded defensemen Conor Timmins and Isaac Belliveau to the Sabres for defenseman Connor Clifton and the 39th overall pick, which they used on WHL defenseman Peyton Kettles.
Timmins, 26, was set to be a restricted free agent. He only played 17 games with the Penguins after being acquired from Toronto at the trade deadline, recording a goal, six assists and a plus-9 rating in a third-pairing role. Belliveau, 22, was the Penguins' 2021 fifth-round pick and spent the majority of his first two pro seasons in Wheeling.
Essentially ... not much.
That 39th overall pick was the real centerpiece of the return here. But in Clifton, they're also getting a real NHL defenseman for the immediate future.
Clifton, 30, is a right-handed defenseman listed at 5-foot-11 and 192 pounds. Last year was his second year in Buffalo, where he had one goal, 15 assists and was a minus-6 in 73 games. The first six seasons of his professional career were spent in the Bruins' organization.
Clifton is only signed for one more season at a $3,333,333 cap hit. He'll be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Obviously, the 30-year-old Clifton isn't in any long-term plans. But that 39th overall pick, Kettles, can be. And Clifton, only signed through next season when the Penguins likely won't be contenders, doesn't handcuff them and complicate the future in any way.
The Penguins gave up a free agent and a low-level prospect for a warm body for the NHL roster next season and another good prospect.
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Want an ad-free experience?
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