Your savory breakfast links:

• Previews of tonight's samba with the Sabres from Vogs, NHL.com, SB Nation DC, DSP, CRtC and hockey yelling, and be sure to check out BuffaloNews.com and our SB Nation partner Die By The Blade for more coverage from the other side of tonight's match-up.
  
• The NHL and the Caps have been enjoying the mandatory two-day Christmas break. How mandatory? It's in the CBA. [WashTimes]
• And historically when this team returns from Xmas vacay, they have done quite well. Here's to history, gents. [KOL]
• However, still more sleepy game starts on the road will not work to improve their place in the standings. [WashTimes]
• Meet the new normal, not the same as the old normal. An update on Mike Green's continuing efforts to rehab his injury and return to the ice. [WaPo]
• Speaking of rehab & training, Pavel Lysenkov interviewed Alex Ovechkin 's former trainer Dmitry Kapitonov. [Soviet Sport (link is in Russian)]
• Should Marcus Johansson be playing full-time at wing? [PowerScout Hockey]
• #fancystats and the going rate for a true shutdown defenseman. [Shutdown Line]
• It's Boxing Day, which means it is officially Day One of the 2012 World Junior Championship tournament:
  • Tournament information, schedules, links, and discussion are available over in the sidebar --> [FanPost]
    
  • Can Evgeny Kuznetsov help Team Russia repeat as champions? [Buzzing the Net]
  • TSN takes a look at the Lokomotiv plane crash and its effect on the U20 team. [TSN.ca (video)]
  • Jarred Tinordi is the son of former Cap Mark Tinordi and also played for the London Knights with Dale Hunter behind the bench. He's an alternate captain for Team USA. [WashTimes]
• Finally, happy 24th birthday, O_o.