With no talks scheduled between the league and the players association, a lockout is a virtual certainty once the NHL board of governors conclude an afternoon meeting in New York, reports the Associated Press.
Training camps won't open this week and games due to start on October 13 will soon be canceled too.
The sides haven't spoken since talks broke off last Thursday when the players association made a proposal of a luxury-tax system with revenue sharing, a rollback of salaries, and changes to entry-level contracts.
The owners said that framework doesn't ensure cost certainty for its clubs, and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the sides "weren't speaking the same language".
