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TORONTO - There was a markedly different vibe at the Toronto Maple Leafs' practice facility Thursday during the latest in a series of informal workouts ahead of the truncated regular season.

WINNIPEG - Winnipeg Jets governor Mark Chipman says the new NHL contract should make his team more profitable, but likely not for a year or two. "It will increase," he said Thursday of the team's earning potential.

The last time a lockout held off the start of the NHL season until mid-January was in 1994-95, and the New Jersey Devils claimed thier first Stanley Cup.

TORONTO - When Olympic heartbreak struck for the third time this past summer, Perdita Felicien took a break. She played dodgeball, she ate donuts, she did yoga. Anything but run around a track.

HOUSTON - Craig Biggio thinks he might have been bypassed for the Hall of Fame because he was on the ballot for the first time with several big stars linked to performance-enhancing drugs.

BUFFALO, N.Y. - Calling his injured ankle fully healed, Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers complained that the only thing slowing him down Thursday was jet lag. "A little rusty," Myers said. "I'm sucking wind a little bit today, but it'll get better.

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Nobody was happier about the Hall of Fame shutout than the Hall of Famers themselves. Goose Gossage, Al Kaline, Dennis Eckersley and others are in no rush to open the door to Cooperstown for anyone linked to steroids.

LONDON - Leaders of Tokyo's bid for the 2020 Olympics have launched their international promotion campaign in London, promising to match or surpass the success of the games held in the British capital six months ago.

NEW YORK, N.Y. - With the third lockout on his watch finally nearing its end, Gary Bettman appeared a humble and apologetic man.

CALGARY - In his first year as head coach of the Calgary Roughnecks, Curt Malawsky has lofty objectives. In fact, he couldn't have set the bar any higher. "It's championship or nothing," Malawsky said. "That's what we're setting our goals on.