David Clarkson, Brett Connolly out with long-term injuries

David Clarkson's trying season is likely over, and Brett Connolly will have to hope for the playoffs to continue his.

Three games into his tenure with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Clarkson suffered a torn oblique muscle against the Washington Capitals. He will miss four to six weeks, according to the team. Clarkson was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs for Nathan Horton days before the trade deadline.

Connolly, whom the Boston Bruins traded for at the March 2 trade deadline, didn't even get to play a game with his new team. He broke his finger when he was hit in his right hand with a puck in Wednesday's practice. The Bruins say he will miss six weeks.

Boston, already without second-line center David Krejci for another month, had been in the market for scoring help at the deadline. General manager Peter Chiarelli made a shrewd move to bring in Connolly, a former first-round pick who has yet to fully tap into his promise, though it wasn't an addition that put the Bruins over the top.

Now, the Bruins are essentially back to Square 1, stuck with the same mix of forwards -- outside of Max Talbot, acquired from the Colorado Avalanche -- they've had for most of the season. They rank 20th in goals, with 2.6 per game.

The Bruins are two points ahead of the Florida Panthers for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, though both Panthers goalies are out with injuries. Their regular season concludes April 11.

Clarkson has been a major disappointment since signing a seven-year, $36.75 million contract with the Maple Leafs during the 2013 offseason. In 118 games with Toronto, Clarkson had 15 goals and 26 points. He had 14 penalty minutes and minus-one rating in three games with the Blue Jackets. The Leafs' season ends April 11.

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