The NHL lockout has reached the four-week mark, and less than a week away from the scheduled start of the regular season, a resolution is nowhere to be seen. The story goes that the league’s owners are losing less money during a lockout than they would be during an actual hockey season, and so there’s no reason for them to resume play until the players agree to an owner-friendly collective bargaining agreement.

To strengthen their position, the owners have accumulated a $300 million war chest to help each team remain solvent until the puck is dropped again. Of course, the owners are ignoring the big picture: when hockey’s not being played, interest in the sport does not grow.

In response to the lockout, more than 180 NHLers have chosen to travel abroad and take jobs in the various European leagues. It was expected that most European-born players would return to their homelands to play out the work stoppage, but some North American stars have also chosen to cross the ocean in order to keep their skills sharp and make some money in the process.

NHLers are scattered everywhere throughout Europe, from France to Germany and from Latvia to Norway. The biggest beneficiary thus far has been the Czech Elite League, with 48 players (and counting) already signed up. Rangers star forward Jaromir Jagr is playing for Kladno alongside defensemen Tomas and Franticek Kaberle, and his 13 points (in just seven games) leads the Czech Elite League. The Devils’ Patrik Elias has joined Rangers defenseman Karel Rachunek and Predators goaltender Tomas Vokoun with Znomjmesti Orli. Talented young forwards Milan Hejduk (Colorado Avalanche) and Ales Hemsky (Edmonton Oilers) are playing for Pardubice, providing the Czech League’s top team with some extra offensive power.

The Swedish Elite League’s teams have signed 37 NHL players thus far. As expected, Colorado Avalanche superstar Peter Forsberg returned to his native Ornskoldsvik to play for his native MoDo team, where his father, Kent Forsberg, is the head coach. Joining the Forsbergs with MoDo are the Canucks’ dynamic twins, Henrik and Daniel Sedin, along with Islanders forward Mattias Weinhandl and former Ranger Niklas Sundstrom.

Smattered amongst the Swedes are some top-notch foreign NHLers. Norris Trophy finalist Zdeno Chara, a Slovakian, has joined Canadian Sheldon Souray on the blue line for Farjestad. Calgary Flames goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff, a star for Team Finland during the recently-completed World Cup, is backstopping the team from Timra.

Former Devil Brendan Morrison will join former Ranger Mike Knuble with Linkoping, and Polish-born Islanders forward Mariusz Czerkawski will play for Djurgarden.

The Russian Super League has also benefited greatly from the lockout, as numerous star players have chosen to return home. Perennial power Moscow Dynamo has added the Red Wings’ Pavel Datsyuk and the Sabres’ Maxim Afinogenov, two of the NHL’s fastest skaters. Islanders forward Oleg Kvasha is playing with Severstal Cher, while his Massachusetts-born teammate, goaltender Garth Snow, is stationed between the pipes for SKA St. Petersburg.

A potpourri of talent has also invaded the rest of Europe. The trio of Marian Hossa, Pavol Demitra, and Marian Gaborik make Dukla Trencin the big favorite to come out on top in the Slovakian league, as they could form Europe’s most dominating line. The Finnish Elite League has also seen some top players return home, most notably World Cup star Kimmo Timonen for KalPa.

Joe Thornton (Boston Bruins) and Rick Nash (Columbus Blue Jackets) have signed with Davos in Switzerland, and will form a deadly tandem in a league that is unprepared to neutralize their smash-mouth brand of hockey. As expected, Swiss goalie David Aebischer of the Avalanche has returned home to play with Lugano.

When these players start receiving paychecks, they will realize just how much they stand to lose during an extended labor stoppage. Most of their European contracts contain out clauses for when the NHL resumes play, and only Forsberg, who along with his father has invested in a new arena for MoDo, is expected to remain in Europe regardless.

In the meantime, these players aren’t earning close to what they make in the NHL. What the lockout is costing them in terms of missed opportunity is significant when one considers that the average NHL career is only about five years in length.

That said, it is the players who don’t have anywhere to play who will likely be the ones to force the NHLPA to change its stance. The clock is ticking on the careers of grinders like the Rangers’ Sandy McCarthy and the Islanders’ Arron Asham, and hundreds more are struggling with exactly the same dilemma.

We have already seen some chinks in the union’s armor – demonstrated most recently when the Devils’ John Madden was quoted as saying “If it needs to have a cap, give it a cap, you know?” The comment was later retracted, but for many NHLers who could see their careers severely shortened by a work stoppage, it is a sentiment that probably rings true.

Mr.Greenstein is the editor in chief of www.insidehockey.com.