Santa Claus isn't the only one who's busy this holiday season. It turns out the tooth fairy has been quite busy, too, especially when it comes to professional athletes.
Florida Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr lost four teeth Tuesday when Ottawa Senators forward Alex Chiasson's stick hit him in the mouth. Jagr, 43, is approaching his new look with good humor.
He also was quick to forgive Chiasson in a show of sportsmanship immediately after the injury. Jagr did eventually return to the game, too.
Jagr joked after Tuesday's game that losing the teeth will make him faster.
"I lost some teeth, but I increased my speed," Jagr said, according to a tweet from Panthers online reporter Jameson Cooper Olive. "I don't want to hear anything about being slow, because I had a breakaway."
Jagr also took to Twitter to amend his Christmas wish list.
"Dear Santa, can I get a new teeth for Christmas?" Jagr tweeted. "It's going to be tough to eat good -- at least I don't get fat."
Jagr won't be the only one having difficulty eating. Atlanta Hawks guard Denis Schroder lost a tooth during Monday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers when he tripped on a drive to the basket and caught an opposing player's knee in the mouth, which sent one of his teeth bouncing to the floor.
Upon realizing what had happened, Schroder picked up the tooth and stuffed it into his sock for safekeeping so he could remain in the game.
Don't count your chickens ...
Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh's plan to host a televised public viewing of the NHL Winter Classic in Copley Square on New Year's Day has been canceled due to a dispute over broadcast rights.
According to the Boston Globe, city officials said Monday they had partnered with the NHL to live stream the Boston Bruins-Montreal Canadiens game that will be played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., on a big-screen TV in Copley Square. The free event was to be part of the city's First Night/First Day festivities.
TD Garden officials notified city officials Tuesday that NBC will not grant Boston the broadcast license needed to make the event happen, according to Laura Oggeri, the mayor's spokesman. Before receiving the news, city officials had been "under the impression that all the logistics had been finalized," Oggeri said.
In a one-sentence joint statement in response to inquiries from the Globe, the NHL and NBC said that "public viewing gatherings for nationally televised regular-season games are not permissible under NHL media-rights policies."
Oggeri said city officials are hopeful a resolution can be found despite the cancellation.
"Boston is always looking for new ways to bring people together to root for our favorite teams," Oggeri said. "We continue to hope for the opportunity to do so on New Year's Day."
Sports quiz
Where was Dennis Schroder selected in the 2013 NBA Draft?
Answer
Schroder was the 17th overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks. He began playing professionally in 2010 for Phantoms Braunschweig and their farm team, SUM Baskets Braunschweig, in Germany.
Sports on 12/25/2015