NHL Buzz: Gavrikov to make Kings debut against Canadiens

Welcome to the NHL Buzz. NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.

Los Angeles Kings

Vladislav Gavrikov will make his debut for the Kings against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday (10:30 p.m. ET; BSW, RDS, TSN2, ESPN+, SN NOW).
Gavrikov, a defenseman, and Joonas Korpisalo, a goalie, were acquired in a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday for goalie Jonathan Quick, a conditional first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft and a third-round selection in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Coach Todd McLellan said Gavrikov, who has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 52 games this season, will play as part of a defense pair with Sean Walker.
"Pays the price for his teammates to have a chance at success. He sells out. He should improve the penalty kill," McLellan said of Gavrikov.
Gavrikov has not played since Feb. 11 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, missing the past eight games for trade related reasons.
"Honestly, that was kind of tough for me, but right now I'm ready to go and I'm so happy to be here," Gavrikov said.
Korpisalo will back up Pheonix Copley against the Canadiens and could make his debut against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday.-- Dan Greenspan

Boston Bruins

Forwards Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno were placed on injured reserve by the Bruins on Thursday.
Hall was placed on long-term injured reserve; he did not play the past two games because of a lower-body injury and was sent to Boston during their current road trip to be evaluated.
He has 36 points (16 goals, 20 assists) in 58 games this season.
Foligno left a 4-3 win against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday with a lower-body injury. He has 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) and is second on the team in hits (147) in 60 games.
"In both Taylor Hall]'s and Nicky [Foligno]'s injury situation, yeah, it took an unfortunate turn for us," Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said. "There's no real timeline for either one of those players in terms of when they're going to be available for us. … We got six weeks [until] the playoffs, and it's unlikely that we see one or either one of them between now and then, but again, to be determined. I don't think anything's off the table."
The Bruins, who hosted the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, acquired forward Tyler Bertuzzi
[in a trade with the Detroit Red Wings
earlier Thursday.

Minnesota Wild

Marcus Johansson will play for the Wild against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday (10 p.m. ET; SNP, BSN, BSWIX, ESPN+, SN NOW).
Johansson, who was acquired from the Washington Capitals for a third-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft on Tuesday, will play left wing on the second line with Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Boldy. He takes the spot of forward Marcus Foligno, who is day to day with a lower body injury, and said the transition is easier because he played 36 games for Minnesota in 2020-21.
"It makes everything a lot easier just coming here knowing most of the guys and also the systems a little bit so hopefully that transition won't be too hard," Johansson said. "It's not as hard coming to a place where you know one or two guys. I feel like I know a more than half the team, so it makes everything a lot easier for sure."
Johansson has 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists) in 60 games this season and has 435 points (157 goals, 278 assists) in 813 regular-season games for the Capitals, New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Wild and Seattle Kraken.
The 32-year-old forward signed a one-year contract with the Capitals on July 13, 2022, and can become an unrestricted free agent after this season. He was surprised to be traded, but knew it was possible.
"A little bit of both," Johansson said. "I didn't really see it coming but things weren't going well for the team either so there was a chance things were going to happen. But I felt like I've had a good year and found myself a little bit again and being healthy and all that. But you never know in this business and it's a good sign that the teams want you so have to look at it that way."-- Kevin Woodley

Buffalo Sabres

Rasmus Dahlin missed his third game with a lower-body injury when the Sabres visited the Bruins.
The defenseman, who is day to day, is also expected to be out Saturday when Buffalo hosts the Tampa Bay Lightning.
"He went on the ice this morning," Sabres coach Don Granato said Wednesday. "I haven't heard a report on that. We will hold him out tomorrow and he'll stay back, get more rehab and get another report tomorrow to see where that day to day is. But today was his
, acquired Monday in a trade from the Vancouver Canucks, was in the Sabres lineup after his visa was finalized.-- Heather Engel

Chicago Blackhawks

Jonathan Toews is back working out with the Blackhawks after stepping away from the team last month, but it's unknown when he will return to practice and games.
"He's back, but he's not skating yet. I don't know if there's a timetable for that yet," coach Luke Richardson said of the captain before Chicago played the Dallas Stars on Thursday.
"I haven't really talked to him. I saw him but I haven't talked to him. Today was the first day I saw him, but he is here, he's working out, but I don't know what the next step is."
Toews has not played since the Blackhawks lost 7-3 to the Edmonton Oilers on Jan. 28. On Feb. 19, he announced he was still dealing with symptoms of long COVID and chronic immune response syndrome and stepping away to "concentrate on getting healthy." Toews missed the entire 2020-21 season with what he called chronic immune response syndrome.
The 34-year-old has 28 points (14 goals, 14 assists) in 46 games this season.-- Tracey Myers