2004–05 AHL season
The 2004–05 AHL season was the 69th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Rochester Americans finished first overall in the regular season. The Philadelphia Phantoms won the Calder Cup, defeating the Chicago Wolves in the finals.
| 2004–05 AHL season | |
|---|---|
| League | American Hockey League |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Number of teams | 28 |
| Regular season | |
| Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy | Rochester Americans |
| Runners-up | Manchester Monarchs |
| Season MVP | Jason Spezza |
| Top scorer | Jason Spezza |
| Calder Cup playoffs | |
| Western Conference champions | Chicago Wolves |
| Western Conference runners-up | Manitoba Moose |
| Eastern Conference champions | Philadelphia Phantoms |
| Eastern Conference runners-up | Providence Bruins |
| Calder Cup playoffs MVP | Antero Niittymaki |
| Finals champions | Philadelphia Phantoms |
| Runners-up | Chicago Wolves |
This season featured a wealth of talent in the AHL, as the National Hockey League was in the midst of a lockout which would cause that league's 2004–05 season to be canceled on February 16, 2005. Many players who otherwise may have been called up to be members of NHL teams for the season spent the full season in the AHL instead. The lockout also provided opportunity for several NHL arenas — including those in Anaheim, Buffalo, Nashville, San Jose and Tampa — to host AHL games during the season. The Edmonton Road Runners, meanwhile, played the entire season in Rexall Place, normally the home of the NHL's Edmonton Oilers.
In addition, the shootout (previously used in the 1986–87 season) was reintroduced to the league, to decide a winner in games which remained tied following the overtime period. The team winning a shootout was credited with a win, and the losing team with an overtime loss.
The AHL also announced a series of experimental rule changes, most notably a restricted area for goaltenders. Playing the puck outside the restricted area results in an automatic two-minute delay of game penalty.
Team changes
- The Toronto Roadrunners moved to Edmonton, Alberta, becoming the Edmonton Road Runners.
Final standings
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; SL = Shootout losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points;
Eastern Conference
| Atlantic Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SL | Pts | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester Monarchs (LA) | 80 | 51 | 21 | 4 | 4 | 110 | 258 | 176 |
| Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR) | 80 | 50 | 24 | 3 | 3 | 106 | 206 | 160 |
| Lowell Lock Monsters (CAR/CGY) | 80 | 47 | 27 | 5 | 1 | 100 | 242 | 190 |
| Providence Bruins (BOS) | 80 | 40 | 30 | 7 | 3 | 90 | 211 | 202 |
| Worcester Ice Cats (STL) | 80 | 39 | 34 | 3 | 4 | 85 | 212 | 223 |
| Portland Pirates (WAS) | 80 | 34 | 34 | 6 | 6 | 80 | 175 | 242 |
| Springfield Falcons (TB) | 80 | 24 | 47 | 3 | 6 | 57 | 161 | 255 |
| East Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SL | Pts | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Binghamton Senators (OTT) | 80 | 47 | 21 | 7 | 5 | 106 | 276 | 217 |
| Philadelphia Phantoms (PHI) | 80 | 48 | 25 | 4 | 3 | 103 | 235 | 185 |
| Norfolk Admirals (CHI) | 80 | 43 | 30 | 6 | 1 | 93 | 200 | 188 |
| Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT) | 80 | 39 | 27 | 7 | 7 | 92 | 227 | 219 |
| Hershey Bears (COL) | 80 | 39 | 37 | 2 | 2 | 82 | 207 | 226 |
| Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI) | 80 | 37 | 38 | 1 | 4 | 79 | 192 | 222 |
| Albany River Rats (NJ) | 80 | 29 | 38 | 6 | 7 | 71 | 198 | 248 |
Western Conference
| North Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SL | Pts | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester Americans (BUF) | 80 | 51 | 19 | 4 | 6 | 112 | 243 | 208 |
| St. John's Maple Leafs (TOR) | 80 | 46 | 28 | 5 | 1 | 98 | 244 | 232 |
| Manitoba Moose (VAN) | 80 | 44 | 26 | 7 | 3 | 98 | 243 | 210 |
| Hamilton Bulldogs (MTL/DAL) | 80 | 38 | 29 | 6 | 7 | 89 | 225 | 210 |
| Syracuse Crunch (CBJ) | 80 | 36 | 33 | 4 | 7 | 83 | 215 | 230 |
| Edmonton Road Runners (EDM) | 80 | 32 | 33 | 11 | 4 | 79 | 201 | 223 |
| Cleveland Barons (SJ) | 80 | 35 | 37 | 6 | 2 | 78 | 200 | 226 |
| West Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SL | Pts | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Wolves (ATL) | 80 | 49 | 24 | 2 | 5 | 105 | 245 | 211 |
| Milwaukee Admirals (NSH) | 80 | 47 | 24 | 5 | 4 | 103 | 247 | 207 |
| Cincinnati Mighty Ducks (ANA) | 80 | 44 | 31 | 4 | 1 | 93 | 206 | 191 |
| Houston Aeros (MIN) | 80 | 40 | 28 | 6 | 6 | 92 | 212 | 195 |
| Grand Rapids Griffins (DET) | 80 | 41 | 35 | 2 | 2 | 86 | 200 | 200 |
| San Antonio Rampage (FLA) | 80 | 27 | 45 | 5 | 3 | 62 | 156 | 232 |
| Utah Grizzlies (PHX) | 80 | 23 | 50 | 5 | 2 | 53 | 156 | 265 |
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jason Spezza | Binghamton Senators | 80 | 32 | 85 | 117 | 50 |
| Mike Cammalleri | Manchester Monarchs | 79 | 46 | 63 | 109 | 60 |
| David Ling | St. John's Maple Leafs | 80 | 28 | 60 | 88 | 152 |
| Kyle Wellwood | St. John's Maple Leafs | 80 | 38 | 49 | 87 | 20 |
| Simon Gamache | Milwaukee Admirals | 80 | 29 | 57 | 86 | 93 |
| Peter Sarno | Manitoba Moose | 80 | 16 | 66 | 82 | 53 |
| Chris Taylor | Rochester Americans | 79 | 21 | 58 | 79 | 50 |
| Andy Hilbert | Providence Bruins | 79 | 37 | 42 | 79 | 83 |
| Denis Hamel | Binghamton Senators | 80 | 39 | 39 | 78 | 75 |
| Eric Staal | Lowell Lock Monsters | 77 | 26 | 51 | 77 | 88 |
Leading goaltenders
Note: GP = Games Played; Mins = Minutes Played; W = Wins; L = Losses: OTL = Overtime Losses; SL = Shootout Losses; GA = Goals Allowed; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals Against Average
| Player | Team | GP | Mins | W | L | SL | GA | SO | GAA | Sv% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steve Valiquette | Hartford Wolf Pack | 35 | 1900 | 19 | 11 | 1 | 56 | 7 | 1.77 | 0.935 |
| Jason LaBarbera | Hartford Wolf Pack | 53 | 2937 | 31 | 16 | 2 | 90 | 6 | 1.84 | 0.934 |
| Adam Hauser | Manchester Monarchs | 32 | 1867 | 19 | 11 | 0 | 60 | 5 | 1.93 | 0.933 |
| Cam Ward | Lowell Lock Monsters | 50 | 2829 | 27 | 17 | 3 | 94 | 6 | 1.99 | 0.937 |
| Josh Harding | Houston Aeros | 42 | 2388 | 21 | 16 | 3 | 80 | 4 | 2.01 | 0.930 |
Calder Cup Playoffs
| Division Semi-finals | Division Finals | Conference Finals | Calder Cup Finals | ||||||||||||||||
| A1 | Manchester | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| A4 | Providence | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| A4 | Providence | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| A3 | Lowell | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| A2 | Hartford | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| A3 | Lowell | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| A | Providence | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Eastern | |||||||||||||||||||
| E | Philadelphia | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| E1 | Binghamton | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| E4 | WBS | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| E4 | WBS | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Philadelphia | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Philadelphia | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| E3 | Norfolk | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| E | Philadelphia | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| W | Chicago | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| N1 | Rochester | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| N4 | Hamilton | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| N1 | Rochester | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| N3 | Manitoba | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| N2 | St. John's | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| N3 | Manitoba | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| N | Manitoba | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| Western | |||||||||||||||||||
| W | Chicago | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| W1 | Chicago | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| W4 | Houston | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| W1 | Chicago | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| W3 | Cincinnati | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| W2 | Milwaukee | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| W3 | Cincinnati | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
All Star Classic
The 18th AHL All-Star Classic was played on February 14, 2005, at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire. Team PlanetUSA defeated team Canada 5-4 in a shootout win. In the skills competition held the night before, team PlanetUSA defeated team Canada 17-13.
Trophy and award winners
Team awards
| Calder Cup Playoff champions: | Philadelphia Phantoms |
| Richard F. Canning Trophy Eastern Conference playoff champions: | Philadelphia Phantoms |
| Robert W. Clarke Trophy Western Conference playoff champions: | Chicago Wolves |
| Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy Regular season champions, League: | Rochester Americans |
| Frank Mathers Trophy Regular Season champions, Eastern Conference: | Manchester Monarchs |
| Norman R. "Bud" Poile Trophy Regular Season champions, Western Conference: | Rochester Americans |
| Emile Francis Trophy Regular Season champions, Atlantic Division: | Manchester Monarchs |
| F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy Regular Season champions, East Division: | Binghamton Senators |
| Sam Pollock Trophy Regular Season champions, North Division: | Rochester Americans |
| John D. Chick Trophy Regular Season champions, West Division: | Chicago Wolves |
Individual awards
| Les Cunningham Award Most valuable player: | Jason Spezza - Binghamton Senators |
| John B. Sollenberger Trophy Top point scorer: | Jason Spezza - Binghamton Senators |
| Willie Marshall Award Top goal scorer: | Mike Cammalleri - Manchester Monarchs |
| Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award Rookie of the year: | Rene Bourque - Norfolk Admirals |
| Eddie Shore Award Defenceman of the year: | Niklas Kronwall - Grand Rapids Griffins |
| Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award Best Goaltender: | Ryan Miller - Rochester Americans |
| Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award Lowest goals against average: | Jason LaBarbera - Hartford Wolf Pack Steve Valiquette - Hartford Wolf Pack |
| Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award Coach of the year: | Randy Cunneyworth - Rochester Americans |
| Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award Sportsmanship / Perseverance: | Chris Taylor - Rochester Americans |
| Yanick Dupre Memorial Award Community Service Award: | Duncan Milroy - Hamilton Bulldogs |
| Jack A. Butterfield Trophy MVP of the playoffs: | Antero Niittymaki - Philadelphia Phantoms |
Other awards
| James C. Hendy Memorial Award Most outstanding executive: | Mark Chipman, Manitoba Moose |
| Thomas Ebright Memorial Award Career contributions: | Glenn Stanford |
| James H. Ellery Memorial Awards Outstanding media coverage: | Jonathan Bombulie, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (newspaper) Derek Wills, Hamilton (radio) Brendan O'Reilly, Binghamton (television) |
| Ken McKenzie Award Outstanding marketing executive: | Brian Lewis, Hamilton Bulldogs |
| Michael Condon Memorial Award Outstanding service, on-ice official: | Matt Dunne |