NHL Buzz: Gallagher, Byron to return for Canadiens against Blue Jackets

Welcome to the NHL Buzz. Throughout the 2021-22 season, NHL.com will have you covered with the latest news.

Montreal Canadiens

Brendan Gallagher and Paul Byron will return to the lineup for the Canadiens when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday (7 p.m. ET; TSN2, RDS, BSOH, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
Gallagher, a forward, missed 10 games with a lower-body injury.
"It's never easy being out of the lineup," Gallagher said. "You like to pride yourself on being there with your teammates. I'm looking forward to getting the chance to get to battle with them again. It's been a long time here."
Byron, a forward, has yet to play this season after offseason hip surgery.
"It's been hard watching a lot of games," Byron said. "You're on the sidelines, you know you can help out. You want to be with your teammates. ... It's obviously been a pretty long recovery for me and I'm really excited to get back on the ice."

Boston Bruins

Jeremy Swayman was recalled by the Bruins from Providence of the American Hockey League and the goalie is expected to back up Linus Ullmark when they visit the Dallas Stars (7 p.m. ET; SN1, BSSW+, NESN, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
Swayman is back with the Bruins while Tuukka Rask recovers from a lower-body injury. Rask is day to day.
"When we left on the road we didn't think there was anything serious with Tuukka," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said Saturday. "Obviously got to be a little more than what we anticipated, so that's the move we had to make. [Troy] Grosenick's here on the taxi squad and [in] practice, but if we need to put a goaltender in net 'Sway' will be the guy. Right now we're planning on playing [Ullmark] tomorrow. I'll have to talk to Sway to see when he was last on the ice, but that would be the tentative plan. He's been playing well, 'Ully,' so we're covered there, and hopefully Tuukka's not out too long, but obviously bringing Sway [up], it's more than just a 48-hour thing."
Rask started in a 5-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Monday and was the backup to Ullmark in 4-3 overtime loss at the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday. Rask was unable to play in a 2-1 win at the Arizona Coyotes on Friday, when Grosenick was the backup, and received treatment Saturday.
Rask had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right hip last July and signed a one-year contract with the Bruins on Jan. 11. He is 2-2-0 with a 4.28 goals-against average and an .844 save percentage in four games.
Swayman has played 16 games for Boston this season and is 8-6-2 with a 2.26 GAA, .918 save percentage and one shutout.
Grosenick was placed on the taxi squad Saturday.

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Seattle Kraken

Calle Jarnkrok did not play against the New York Rangers on Sunday because of an upper-body injury.
The forward took part in warmups but was a scratch. He was replaced by Morgan Geekie in the lineup.
Jarnkrok had an assist and played 17:22 in Seattle's previous game, a 2-1 overtime win at the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday.
He has scored 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in 32 games this season.

Chicago Blackhawks

Jonathan Toews was placed in concussion protocol by the Blackhawks on Friday and there is no timetable for his return.
"Obviously he's a huge part of this organization and we're going to miss him," Chicago coach Derek King said prior to a 6-4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. "… but we're making sure we do the right thing by this. There's no time frame, it's when he's feeling right. You can't mess around with this stuff. We'll just go day by day every day and see how he's feeling. When he's ready, he'll come back and join us."
The center had an assist in an 8-5 win against the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday and scored 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) in 43 games this season.
The Blackhawks captain missed his first game of the season Friday.
"He's a voice in the room and he's a presence in the room and on the ice for us," Chicago defenseman Seth Jones said. "He plays in all situations and our best face-off guy, takes the most important face-offs, 5-on-5, in our [defensive] zone and on the penalty kill. So we're going to lose a big part of that. So we'll have to have guys definitely fill in and have a next-man-up mentality until he gets back." -- Tracey Myers