While the NHL and it’s player’s association continue to do their dance in New Jersey and European hockey takes it’s annual ten day December schedule break, life goes on in the nether regions of North American hockey.

All seven members of the locked-out Canadiens currently in Europe are now off for ten days as the leagues take their rraditional ten day December break. Tomas Plekanec notched another assist in a losing effort against Sparta Prague on Sunday.

Four of the six players the Canadiens selected in the second day of the 2011 NHL entry draft were defencemen. Because of trades, their first pick of the day came in the draft’s fourth round when they took Josiah Didier, a defenceman who has committed to attend Denver University next season. Among their total of seven choices at the draft, the Canadiens took their three from Canadian junior hockey, two Americans, a Czech and Swede.