<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Hockey_League" id="mwAXY" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="National Hockey League">National Hockey League</a> commissioner <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Bettman" id="mwAXc" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Gary Bettman">Gary Bettman</a> announces <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004–05_NHL_lockout" id="mwAXg" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="2004–05 NHL lockout">lockout</a> of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Hockey_League_Players'_Association" id="mwAXk" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="National Hockey League Players' Association">players' union</a> and cessation of operations by the NHL head office.