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All games scheduled from October 11th through the 24th have been canceled.
The announcement wipes out five Sabres games, including the October 13th home opener against Pittsburgh, and home games against Detroit October 16th, NY Rangers October 19th, and New Jersey October 24th. The Sabres' road game October 20th against the NY Islanders is also canceled.
Despite negotiating regularly throughout the summer, the NHL and NHL Players' Association have been unable to make much progress in collective bargaining talks.
The lockout is into its 19th day and the sides currently don't have any negotiating sessions scheduled.
Deputy commissioner Bill Daly claimed earlier this week that the lockout has cost the league almost $100 million in lost revenue.
NHLPA Executive Director Don Fehr issued this statement:
“The decision to cancel the first two weeks of the NHL season is the unilateral choice of the NHL owners. If the owners truly cared about the game and the fans, they would lift the lockout and allow the season to begin on time while negotiations continue. A lockout should be the last resort in bargaining, not the strategy of first resort. For nearly 20 years, the owners have elected to lock-out the players in an effort to secure massive concessions. Nevertheless, the players remain committed to playing hockey while the parties work to reach a deal that is fair for both sides. We hope we will soon have a willing negotiating partner.”