Sportscasters are predicting the latest National Hockey League lockout will last until the winter, at least, based on the players’ ability to hold out and management’s history with labour disputes.

It’s the third lockout for commissioner Gary Bettman. Executive director Don Fehr has dealt with similar labour disruptions in Major League Baseball.

“I’m thinking it’s going to be at least December,” Sportland’s Harv Stewart told Maritime Morning, on Sunday following the midnight deadline. “Just going from history, the last time it was a whole year. The time before, in 1994, it was into December. (Fehr) will bleed this thing to the end. It’s going to be a long go. But I don’t think it will be the entire season. I don’t think Gary Bettman can do that.”

The league has posted a message to fans on its website saying it’s committed to negotiating around the clock to reach a new contract with the players’ union, that is fair to both the players and the 30 teams.

However, there were no talks scheduled as of the first day of the lockout Sunday.

It’s the fourth time in 20 years that the league has experienced a work stoppage.  

ESPN NHL analyst Barry Melrose said the players are at a disadvantage in the negotiations.

“The players have a short career,” Melrose told the Canadian Press. “They got to make their money in a very short period of time. A lot of these players that are in the organization, the union, will only play in the NHL two, three, four, five years. They know they can’t miss a whole year. They will never get it back.”

Melrose said at this point, the players are showing unity. He said fans will see whether players can remain unified when they start missing paycheques come October.

This week, the league is expected to start announcing the cancellation of the first pre-season exhibition games.