For the third time in less than two years, a professional sports league is in a work stoppage.
The National Football League had one, but ended it in time for a full season. The National Basketball Association had one, and it cut short the regular season. Now, it's the National Hockey League's turn.
A look at recent labour history in the four major professional team sports:
NBA
Signed labour agreement in 2011 for 10 years.
Last lockout ran from July 1 to Dec. 8, 2011 and wiped out training camps and nine weeks of the regular season. Teams' schedules were reduced from 82 to 66 games.
NFL
Signed labour agreement in 2011 for 10 years.
Last lockout ran from March 11 to July 25, 2011, and wiped out the full free-agent signing period, organized team activities (the NFL's way of describing off-season practices), training camps and the Hall of Fame game. The new agreement was put in place in time for a modified signing period, shortened camps and a full regular season.
MLB
Labor agreement signed in 2011 for five years.
Last lockout ran from Aug. 12, 1994 to April 2, 1995, and wiped out the remainder of the 1994 regular season and all of the post-season. The World Series was cancelled for the first time since 1904. All told, 948 games were lost.
NHL
Labor agreement ends on Saturday at 11:59 p.m.
Last lockout ran from Sept. 16, 2004 to July 13, 2005, and wiped out the entire 2004-05 regular season and post-season. The Stanley Cup was not given to a champion for the first time since 1919. The new agreement was in place in time for an abbreviated free-agent signing period, and a full training camp and regular season in 2005-06.
