VANCOUVER -- All Charles Hudon wants for Christmas is his two front teeth.

Or make that three.

During Saturday's outdoor game in Ottawa, Hudon took a puck to the face under frigid conditions at the 2017 Scotiabank NHL100 Classic, and lost a couple of his pearly whites in the process.

But following a day in the dentist's chair earlier this week, Hudon was finally able to talk about the injury on Wednesday after practice in Vancouver.

"It was so cold [on Saturday] that the puck was frozen. Afterwards, as I was warming up, it started to hurt more than I originally thought," acknowledged the 23-year-old, who nevertheless did not miss any time on the ice, opting instead to wear a full cage on his helmet since the incident. "I feel good now, though, and it's not bothering me too much anymore."

That's not to say there hasn't been an adjustment period to life with a few less chompers.

"Eating from one side is weird. I was eating with [Shea Weber] and we had the same plate. It took him 15 minutes to finish his though, and it took me an hour-and-a-half to finish mine," explained Hudon with a laugh. "It's tough to eat, but at least now the pain is gone. A steak still wouldn't be a good idea though, so I have to watch what I eat."

Shame about the timing then, since the Habs' next stops are in Calgary and Edmonton, the home of Alberta Triple-A beef.

But what Hudon will be missing out on in terms of Alberta steak, he'll make up in the form of support from a local Alberta boy.

After all, Sherwood Park native Daniel Carr has been rocking a toothless grin for several years now, and can empathize with his teammate's situation.

"My brother knocked two of my teeth out when I was younger, I lost another one playing shinny on an outdoor rink, and I lost a fourth in a fight in Junior A," recalled Carr, who has kept the tooth fairy busy at every level he's played.

"So I can tell you, I know what Charlie's going through. I've been there. It's not fun. At home in the summer we play golf at a golf course that has a bunch of dentists there, and the running joke is that I'm their favorite person."

Likewise, the newest member of the gummy Habs club has already been the catalyst to a little laughter.

"This morning I FaceTimed my daughter and she saw me without my hair and my teeth," shared the Alma, QC native, who recently shaved off his locks to raise money for Leucan. "I had to wait a good 10 minutes before I could talk to her because she was laughing so hard."

Still, a little gentle ribbing is a small price to pay considering his luck.

"I didn't think I would be back on the ice so soon, not after getting a frozen puck in the face as hard as I did," concluded Hudon, who registered an assist in Tuesday's 7-5 win against the Canucks. "It feels good to make such a speedy comeback."