New York ? The National Hockey League will lock out its players today, threatening to keep the sport off the ice for the entire 2004-05 season.

The long-expected decision was approved unanimously Wednesday by NHL owners, who are demanding cost certainty, which players say would be tantamount to a salary cap.

Commissioner Gary Bettman repeatedly belittled the union’s bargaining position during a news conference to announce the lockout, talked about the possibility the confrontation would extend into the 2005-06 season and said the stoppage makes it less likely the NHL will participate in the 2006 Olympics.

He made clear that this entire season could be sacrificed and said play could not extend into July.

“If there’s enough time to play some games, we’ll do it,” he said. “If not, we won’t.”

The sides have not met since a bargaining session last Thursday ended with the parties far apart, and there is almost no chance the season will start as scheduled on Oct. 13. Bettman told teams to release their arenas for other events for the next 30 days.

“Unfortunately, the league has rejected all opportunities for compromise, while stubbornly insisting that Gary Bettman has the single solution to every problem — a salary cap,” union head Bob Goodenow said. “An honest partnership can never be achieved under the leagues my-way-or-the-highway approach.”

Bettman said the league’s proposals would lower the average player salary from $1.8 million to $1.3 million and said past losses gave owners no other choice.

He said declaring an impasse under U.S. labor law and imposing new work rules unilaterally was an option.