The Sharks signed graduating Quinnipiac University Bobcats center Tim Clifton. Clifton, 24, stands 6’1” and 195 lbs. and calls Matawan, New Jersey home. The deal is a two-year entry level contract for the undrafted, unrestricted free agent. His brother Connor Clifton is a defenseman for the Bobcats and was drafted in the fifth round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by Arizona.
Clifton’s best season with Quinnipiac came in the 2015-16 season where he scored 19 goals and 24 assists in 39 games; good for third on the team. The Bobcats won the ECAC Championship.
At the start of his last season, he was named the alternate captain of his team and although his production dropped, scoring only 13 goals and 12 assists in 39 games, he was still fourth in team scoring. He was only four points behind the team leader in a down year for the team. Clifton has previously attended training camp with the Montreal Canadians.
This is a profile on Clifton from 2015 by Q30TV.
Clifton is described as a responsible two-way center who was used in all situations while at Quinnipiac. He started out in more of a grinder role and became one of the team’s leading scorers. Using Christian Roatis’s NHLe calculator he projects to be a 12 point player in the NHL, likely capping out as a fourth line player.
He is expected to join the San Jose Barracuda this week where he will likely play in the bottom six as he adjusts to the pro game. Should he suit up for the Barracuda this weekend I look forward to giving you some more in-depth impressions of Clifton.
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