September 15

On September 15, 2004, the National Hockey League officially locked out its players, marking the beginning of a work stoppage that would ultimately lead to the cancellation of the entire 2004-05 season. Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the lockout after negotiations with the players' union broke down over salary caps and revenue sharing. The dispute underscored the financial challenges facing professional sports leagues and highlighted the high stakes of labour negotiations. Fans, teams, and local economies were left in limbo as the league grappled with its first full-season cancellation due to a labour dispute. The lockout deeply affected the sport's reputation and set the stage for significant changes in the NHL's economic structure.

On September 15, 2008, Lehman Brothers, one of the world's oldest and largest investment banks, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with over $600 billion in debts. The collapse came after failed buyout talks and plummeting confidence in the housing market, sending shockwaves through global financial systems. This unprecedented bankruptcy exacerbated the 2007-2008 financial crisis, freezing credit markets and forcing governments worldwide to intervene. The fall of Lehman Brothers highlighted systemic risks in modern banking and sparked widespread regulatory reforms. Its legacy endures as a cautionary tale of unchecked leverage and the interconnectedness of global finance.