Daily Links for Monday, December 26

I hope everyone out in Sabre-land had a very Merry Christmas, or at least a nice weekend. With the end of one holiday, Buffalo returns to the ice tonight to host the Washington Capitals. A few players are looking to return to the ice from the injury list, and after the break we've got a boatload of holiday hockey links to keep you in the spirit, or at least in the know.

Sabres hope to end skid against Caps - NHL.com
Tonight's game preview from the big site.

Lots of hands on deck for once - The Buffalo News
A morning practice update sees Jochen Hecht and Brad Boyes skating on real lines, and Ennis, Myers, Gerbe and Tropp all skating in some capacity.

Sabres have familiar mountain to climb - The Buffalo News
A lot has changed in a year around the Buffalo Sabres. But it's crazy to look at the NHL standings and realize how stunningly similar things are from last Christmas. And that's not a good thing.

Return of Myers not far off - The Buffalo News
It may not be all the Buffalo Sabres want or need for Christmas but they could use defenseman Tyler Myers on the ice. The 6-foot-8 Myers keeps progressing from his broken wrist and has another appointment with team doctors on Monday.

More Sabres Links:

Sabres' Leopold spreads smiles - The Buffalo News
This article is worth it just to see Jordan Leopold and Patrick Kaleta in full elf outfits.

That's life on the Sabres' farm - The Buffalo News
Ron Rolston knew he'd work a lot during his first season as a head coach. He just never figured he'd have as much in common with Travelocity's roaming gnome as Lindy Ruff.

Baker's dozen thoughts at the break - SabresProspects.com
Bakes shares some wisdom with us about Sabres prospects, and gets me very excited to follow guys like Kevin Sundher and Dan Catenacci for the rest of the year.

A fan's reaction to the season - Hockey Night in Buffalo
If you like GIFs, this is the post for you.

Around the NHL:

Holding down playoff spot at Christmas a good sign - NHL.com
Teams holding down a playoff berth when Christmas arrives have made the playoffs 80 percent of the time over the past 10 seasons.

82 Game Pace At The Break - The Copper & Blue
What do the numbers look like at the Christmas break?

Merry Christmas to the hockey community - THN
With the holiday season upon us, the longtime scout and executive wishes all the best to everyone.

Merry Christmas, readers: Here are your Funeral Burgers - Puck Daddy
A great story and Puck Daddy tradition continue.

Cox: Canada’s worst NHL team at holiday time? Les Glorieux - thestar.com
Firestorm over non-French speaking coach, scratching of P.K. Subban creating trouble in Montreal.

Leafs' Wilson tweets about receiving his Christmas wish -- a contract extension - NHL.com
Ron Wilson must have been a good boy this year, because he tweeted Christmas morning that he is receiving a new contract extension from Santa.

Puck Daddy’s top 10 hockey fan moments of 2011 - Puck Daddy
Every year, the magnitude of the top stories in sports is affected by how fans react to them. In hockey, we had triumphs and tragedies in 2011; and hockey fans around the world made them all the more memorable.

NHL Ice Girls Celebrate Christmas - Gunaxin
Who better to scoop up your ice with a shovel than a cute girl on skates dressed as Santa Claus?