Clifton, a native of Long Branch, New Jersey, was selected by the Phoenix Coyotes in the fifth round (No. 133) of the 2013 NHL Draft, after playing his draft-eligible season with the United States National Team Development Program and helping the U.S. finish second at the 2013 IIHF World Under-18 Championship.
The defenseman played the next four seasons at Quinnipiac University, where he was named captain as a junior and it reach the NCAA Frozen Four before losing to North Dakota in the championship game. Clifton was named to the All-Tournament team that season.
Clifton, a native of Long Branch, New Jersey, was selected by the Phoenix Coyotes in the fifth round (No. 133) of the 2013 NHL Draft, after playing his draft-eligible season with the United States National Team Development Program and helping the U.S. finish second at the 2013 IIHF World Under-18 Championship.
The defenseman played the next four seasons at Quinnipiac University, where he was named captain as a junior and it reach the NCAA Frozen Four before losing to North Dakota in the championship game. Clifton was named to the All-Tournament team that season.
The Coyotes didn't reach an agreement with Clifton after his senior season at Quinnipiac, so he signed with Providence, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Boston Bruins.
Clifton played 54 games for Providence in 2017-18, then was signed to a two-year contract by the Bruins on May 3, 2018. He began 2018-19 back in Providence but was called up six weeks into the season and had one assist in 19 regular-season games. Clifton's first NHL goal proved to be the game-winner in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes on May 12, 2019, a 6-2 victory.
NOTES & TRANSACTIONS
- NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team (2016)
- Signed as a free agent by Boston, May 3, 2018
