The lockout is on.

The NHL entered its fourth work stoppage since 1992, and locked out the players at a minute after midnight on Sunday morning.

The first pre-season games are expected to be cancelled next week.

Players won't miss their first paycheques until October 15th.

The major sticking point in the N-H-L lockout is how to divide hockey-related revenue totalling almost 3.3-billion dollars a year.

Under the old agreement, the players got a 57 per cent share.

The owners -- who feel salaries are too high -- want the players' share cut to 49 per cent for next season, and reduced to 47 per cent in the last year of a six year deal.

A number of teams are starting to send players with entry level or two way contracts down to the minors.

The Winnipeg Jets have sent Mark Schiefele back to the Barrie Colts of the OHL.

And Nail Yakupov of the Edmonton Oilers is not going to Sarnia -- he is going to play in the KHL.