There are six right-handed defensemen on the Pittsburgh Penguins roster, or who otherwise have hopes of playing on NHL ice this season. Coach Dan Muse has not yet begun to sort the gaggle of righties, but gave newly acquired Connor Clifton some direct advise.

“I was speaking to Dan and (he said) just how we’re gonna be competitive, and it’s all gonna start with work. He mentioned he wanted me to come in and try to find it right away. Don’t come in all passive, but be aggressive and be who I am,” Clifton said during his first meeting with Pittsburgh media Tuesday. “And I think that’s always good to hear. I said, I’m excited for the opportunity.”

Clifton, 30, and Muse have a little bit of a history. While Muse was an assistant coach at Yale, he tried to recruit Clifton, who eventually chose Quinnipiac, presumably because of the hockey. Clifton has had some struggles over the last few seasons, split between the Boston Bruins and, most recently, the Buffalo Sabres. The physical defenseman found himself a healthy scratch in Buffalo and was dealing with the mental challenges of absorbing such hits off the ice while trying to deliver them on the ice.

In 73 games, Clifton didn’t provide a lot of offense for Buffalo, netting just one goal and 15 assists, but he led the team by a wide margin with 208 hits. Only one other Sabres player had more than 150.

However, like many players before him, Clifton was swallowed up by the malaise that has become the Buffalo NHL franchise.

“I wasn’t too happy with (the situation). You know, I think I was all over my place. I wouldn’t even say just last year. Really, the past two years. I think my game has kind of been at a standstill. It was a lot of mental battles along the way,” said Clifton. “There were a couple of scratches two years ago, too. So I think my whole time in Buffalo, I feel like I kind of lost myself. Again, the change of scenery, I got that call that I’m going to be a Pittsburgh Penguin. I was really excited about the change. I want to get back to my old self, and how I play, and the impact that I have on the game.”

There is little question that Clifton is a fierce defenseman. After all, in his NHL debut, he fought current Penguins assistant general manager Jason Spezza. For the record, Clifton admitted Spezza offered him a second go the second time they met, but Clifton didn’t need that line on his resume.

After five seasons with Boston and two with Buffalo, Clifton has played 384 games. While he has only 77 points, he has 290 penalty minutes. He has 17 professional fights, and his first scrap also has Penguins connections–it was against former Penguins winger Bobby Farnham while both were in the AHL (Clifton with Providence, Farnham with Springfield).

It’s despite being only 5-foot-11, 195 pounds.

“I’ve heard (that I’m small) plenty of times. That’s kind of how I’ve always played, and working to get to the next level, it was always a big part of my game,” Clifton said. “I feel like I out-competed my way to the NHL with that sort of style, and that’s what’s gonna keep me there.”

Physicality has been a sorely lacking quality amongst Penguins defensemen over the past few … decades. Gritty defensemen have quickly stood out and become coaching favorites.

For comparison, the Penguins defenseman with the most hits last season was Kris Letang, who registered a mere 120 in 74 games. Ryan Graves was second among D-men with 75.

Given that context, there’s good reason that Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas seemed to be genuinely excited to acquire him, even at the expense of Conor Timmins. The Penguins also received a second-round pick in the draft-day deal from Buffalo, which the Penguins used to select Peyton Kettles (39th overall).

Perhaps the only thing quiet about Clifton was how he was informed of the trade.

“It was kind of funny. I was putting my daughter down for a nap. I guess the draft was going on–We didn’t even have it on the TV. I didn’t see Kevyn (Adams), the GM of Buffalo, he texted me, and I had a missed call when I was in my daughter’s room,” Clifton recounted. “So, she was getting a nap … and I was getting a nap too. We went to our room, and Kevin popped up. I didn’t even see it. I had already missed a call. And I told my wife, I was like, ‘Oh, Kevyn’s calling,’ and she’s like, ‘Oh, where are we going?’

“I answered. I had to whisper a little bit in our bathroom. And he told me it was Pittsburgh, and I was, I was pretty excited.”

Of course, Clifton probably wasn’t the only one taking a nap on Saturday afternoon during Day 2 of the laborious NHL Draft. But if Muse and he get their way, it will be the last time Clifton is quiet with the Penguins.