Bruins Sign Connor Clifton To Extension, Lose Noel Acciari To Panthers
BOSTON (CBS) -- Whenever a team goes on a very deep run to the Cup Final, another team will inevitably seek to poach players from that roster.
The Bruins learned that quickly on Monday, the first day of NHL free agency, when the Panthers swooped in and got free-agent forward Noel Acciari to agree to a deal with Florida.
Elliotte Friedman reported that the deal won't break the bank -- about $5 million total over three years -- but it was enough to convince the valuable fourth-liner to make the move.
Hearing Noel Acciari to FLA, three years at around $5M total.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 1, 2019
Elsewhere on the roster, the Bruins were able to retain a breakout star from the playoffs, as the team agreed to a three-year extension with defenseman Connor Clifton.
TSN's Frank Seravelli said the deal will pay Clifton $3 million total.
Three more years of #CliffyHockey. #NHLBruins have agreed to terms on a three-year extension with Connor Clifton worth $3 million total. He has one year left at $725k, extension can be papered as soon as today.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 1, 2019
Clifton, 24, played in just 19 regular-season games as a rookie before skating in 18 playoff games for the Bruins. He scored a pair of goals and tallied three assists to go with a plus-2 rating during that playoff run. A product of Quinnipiac University, Clifton had spent the bulk of this past season and the year before with AHL Providence.
Acciari, 27, played collegiately at Providence College, where he won a national championship in 2015. He's skated in 180 regular-season NHL games, registering 18-13-31 totals and 505 hits for the Bruins. He had two goals and two assists for the Bruins in their run to Game 7 of the Cup Final.