The intensity level at workouts has grown as the deadline to begin the season draws closer. There's a week left for an agreement to be made, so players' on-ice workouts have increasingly become more serious. Whether a season starts by Jan. 19 doesn't matter as many players could look to play elsewhere over the next few months, so it's a benefit to get into better shape. "I just got back today and you can just tell skating out here that the intensity's up a bit and guys are skating at the end and doing some extra stuff and we've added some more days of skating," Bryan Little said. "It seems like everyone's preparing for something."