The first dominos of the NHL lockout have begun to fall.
On Wednesday, the league announced that the preseason schedule through Sept. 30 has been cancelled, moving one step closer to the likelihood that real games will be cancelled as well.
However, the owners and the players are not at that point yet, and despite the apparent lack of progress in negotiations at this point, there is always the chance that the two sides can reconcile in time for the start of the season.
The regular season is slated to begin for eight teams on Oct. 11, with the rest joining in on the fun shortly thereafter. However, with training camp and the preseason now in limbo, the regular season's start is very much in danger as well.
The last lockout saw the league cancel an entire season, but the labor disputes preceeding that one weren't quite as severe. The 1994-95 lockout resulted in a shortened season of 48 games for the teams, and in 1992, only 30 games were cancelled.
Both the NHLPA and the owners seem dug in on their respective positions at the moment, and the fear is that they will stay that way for a while. Preseason games are already gone — will regular season ones soon follow?
How much of the NHL's regular season will be lost to the lockout?
