The NHL owners and players are currently locked in a battle over a new collective bargaining agreement, and commissioner Gary Bettman says the league will start locking players out on Saturday if a new deal is not reached.

Bettman already had the authority to lock out players beginning Saturday at 11:59 p.m. ET, but the owners unanimously stood behind Bettman when he asked them for support on the lockout measure, according to excerpts of Bettman's press conference on Thursday compiled by Michael Russ of the StarTribune.

The chance of a full-length season for the Boston Bruins and the rest of the NHL is getting slimmer by the day. With the two sides still far apart on the issue of how much hockey-related revenue should be shared with the players, the start of a lockout on Saturday seems inevitable.

For more on the Boston Bruins, be sure to check out Stanley Cup Of Chowder and SB Nation's NHL page.