Connor Clifton was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins by the Buffalo Sabres for Conor Timmins on Saturday.
The Penguins also received a second-round pick (No. 39) in the 2025 NHL Draft. Defenseman prospect Isaac Belliveau was sent to the Sabres.
Clifton, a 30-year-old defenseman, had 16 points (one goal, 15 assists) in 73 games for the Sabres this season. He has one season remaining on a three-year, $9.99 million contract ($3.33 million average annual value) he signed with Buffalo on July 2, 2023.
"When we were talking to them, I think we just felt that Clifton, when at his best, brings an element that we have not really had on the backend in my time here, which is he's a very highly competitive, physical guy that can be very difficult to play against, won't back down from anybody," Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas said Monday. "He brings a lot of fire to the game each night, so that was something we haven't had."
Selected by the Phoenix Coyotes in the fifth round (No. 133) of the 2013 NHL Draft, Clifton has 77 points (15 goals, 62 assists) in 384 regular-season games with the Boston Bruins and the Sabres, and 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 46 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
"Obviously, I don't think the time in Buffalo has gone the way he wanted it to or the team wanted it to there, but we've got a lot of familiarity," Dubas said. "(Penguins coach) Dan (Muse), actually, tried to recruit him to Yale before he went to Quinnipiac, so there's a long history. He's going into the last year of his contract and with what he brings competitively, plus the defensive side, I think it's a great opportunity to try to get the most out of him."
Timmins, a 26-year-old defenseman, has 46 points (six goals, 40 assists) in 159 regular-season games with the Colorado Avalanche. Coyotes, Toronto Maple Leafs and the Penguins, and no points in 12 playoff games. He was selected by the Avalanche in the second round (No. 32) at the 2017 NHL Draft.
"This is a guy that we've had for a while as someone on our radar, if there was a way to get him that we just thought he'd be a great addition to our group," Sabres GM Kevyn Adams said. "We still think he's got upside to continue to grow as a player."
Timmins can become a restricted free agent July 1.
Belliveau, 22, was selected by the Penguins in the fifth round (No. 154) of the 2021 NHL Draft. He had seven points (one goal, six assists) in 22 games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League and 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in 25 games for Wheeling in the ECHL this season.
With the No. 39 pick, the Penguins selected Peyton Kettles, a 17-year-old defenseman who had 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 53 games this season for Swift Current of the Western Hockey League.
NHL.com independent correspondent Wes Crosby contributed to this report
