David Clarkson reportedly was "nicked up" following Tuesday's game in Nashville and it caused him to miss Wednesday's practice, but he should fine for the final preseason contests this weekend against Buffalo and Nashville.

Clarkson reportedly was "nicked up" following Tuesday's game in Nashville, which caused him to miss Wednesday's practice, but he is expected to be fine for the final preseason contests this weekend against Buffalo and Nashville.

Analysis:

Clarkson was acquired by Columbus in a trade with Toronto last February, only to tear his oblique muscle three games deep with the new club, ending his season prematurely. It may take some tinkering by head coach Todd Richards to find the best spot for him, though he's likely to see a bottom-six role this season. Clarkson used to be an excellent source of PIM, as evidenced by his four campaigns with more than 100 minutes in the sin bin between 2007 and 2012, though his injury history may cause him to taper off in that area to some degree.