Brandishing its Sept. 15 padlock, the NHL yesterday nonetheless emerged from collective bargaining negotiations accusing the strike-disavowing players’ association of deliberately forcing a lockout.

“I’ve been hopeful for months. It’s finally dawned on me that they’ve never been serious about the process. They’re intent on making it [the lockout] happen,” NHL executive VP Bill Daly told The Post yesterday after the two-day talks in Ottawa.

“This is all a charade. They’re not interested in negotiating. They want to force a work stoppage as their only chance to keep the status quo, and they’re making a very bad bet.”

The league is seeking a salary cap and threatening a lockout, while the union has proposed a luxury tax as the basis of a new CBA, and has vowed not to strike upon the expiration of the current deal Sept. 15.

The latest talks have delved only into side issues and examinations of the successes and problems of teams around the league.

“Obviously, we haven’t come any closer to any solution,” Players Association senior director Ted Saskin said. “We’re not discussing any proposals right now. We’re trying to look at teams and the different issues affecting teams. We all understand that the [proposals] they have on the table are not going to lead anywhere. We obviously have different perspectives on what’s needed.

“We have to have a negotiating partner interested in getting to an agreement, not just interested in getting to a salary cap.”

Daly blasted the current line of talks, which resume next week in Montreal.

“Yes, we’ve having a discussion, but is it relevant or moving us forward? Not in our estimation. We’re talking about things we’ve been talking about for 5 ½ years. This is ridiculous.”

“A lockout is good for nobody,” Saskin said.