BROSSARD - The month of December is generally synonymous with happiness and joy as people celebrate the holiday season. In Charles Hudon's case, though, those positive vibes are a little bit harder to find right now.

The Canadiens prospect, who is in Montreal with the AHL's St. John's IceCaps for the next few days, was injured again last Wednesday.

It happened in just his third game back after suffering a fractured sternum in late November.

"The first time, it was a 2-on-1 during a practice. The pass was tipped directly into my throat area. I felt fine when it happened, but as practice went on, I had trouble catching my breath," said Hudon.

It was only at the hospital that he learned that he'd suffered a fracture and would the miss the Canadiens' long road trip out West.

The timing couldn't have been worse for Hudon because he would have had a good opportunity to earn some serious points with the organization.

"I was happy with the way I was playing. My last game against the Hurricanes at the Bell Centre was one of my best since I joined the Canadiens last year," noted Hudon.

Another injury

Hudon returned to active duty on December 9. In his third outing on December 14 in Binghamton, a case of bad luck struck Hudon again.

"[Chris Terry] and I collided at center ice. When I fell, my ankle got stuck in the ice and all of my weight came down on it. I suffered a severe sprain," revealed Hudon.

"It was bad luck. We just didn't see each other. I also felt for him, too. I felt bad for hitting my own teammate. He was chasing a player and I was coming down at the same time. We both thought that we were going to change direction and we collided. We went elbow to elbow and I was also in a little bit of pain from it, but everything's fine," explained Terry.

Terry went to see Hudon on Monday morning to inquire about his health status. Fortunately, the news was good.

"I have to wear a protective boot, but today they gave me permission to walk without it and it's going well. I'm hoping to return on December 26 in Toronto," indicated Hudon.

The former Chicoutimi Sagueneens standout has always been a quick healer and he's hoping things will play out the same way this time around, too. He also added that even team therapists don't fully comprehend just how fast his body typically recovers.

Staying mentally strong

The most difficult part of all of this for Hudon is keeping his spirits up.

"I've experienced more disappointment and negativity lately than anything. And a lot of guys are getting hurt with the big club. It's tough to see two good players [Alex Galchenyuk and David Desharnais] on the team go down like that. Those injuries will keep them out for a while, and I told myself that I would have an opportunity there. My goal is to be with the Canadiens, but to get injured again, it's preventing me from reaching my goal," said Hudon.

He admits that the last few days -- and last few weeks -- have been very difficult. But he plans on spending plenty of quality time with his family in Montreal while he's in town, which should undoubtedly give him a much-needed boost.

"I need to take the positives out of this Christmas visit. I know that I can always count on my family and I have a lot of people behind me," concluded Hudon.