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
LeagueAmerican Hockey League
SportIce hockey
Number of teams28
Regular season
Macgregor Kilpatrick TrophyRochester Americans
  Runners-upManchester Monarchs
Season MVPJason Spezza
Top scorerJason Spezza
Playoffs
Playoffs MVPAntero Niittymaki
Calder Cup
ChampionsPhiladelphia Phantoms
  Runners-upChicago Wolves
AHL seasons
Ice experimentation during a Rochester Americans game at HSBC Arena (now KeyBank Center) in Buffalo, New York

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. [1]

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

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Final standings

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  •  y–  indicates team clinched division and a playoff spot
  •  x–  indicates team clinched a playoff spot
  •  e–  indicates team was eliminated from playoff contention

Eastern Conference

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Atlantic Division GP W L OTL SOL Pts GF GA
y–Manchester Monarchs (LAK) 80 51 21 4 4 110 258 176
x–Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR) 80 50 24 3 3 106 206 160
x–Lowell Lock Monsters (CGY/CAR) 80 47 27 5 1 100 242 190
x–Providence Bruins (BOS) 80 40 30 7 3 90 211 202
e–Worcester Ice Cats (STL) 80 39 34 3 4 85 212 223
e–Portland Pirates (WSH) 80 34 34 6 6 80 175 242
e–Springfield Falcons (TBL) 80 24 47 3 6 57 161 255
East Division GP W L OTL SOL Pts GF GA
y–Binghamton Senators (OTT) 80 47 21 7 5 106 276 217
x–Philadelphia Phantoms (PHI) 80 48 25 4 3 103 235 185
x–Norfolk Admirals (CHI) 80 43 30 6 1 93 200 188
x–Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT) 80 39 27 7 7 92 227 219
e–Hershey Bears (COL) 80 39 37 2 2 82 207 226
e–Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI) 80 37 38 1 4 79 192 222
e–Albany River Rats (NJD) 80 29 38 6 7 71 198 248

Western Conference

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North Division GP W L OTL SOL Pts GF GA
y–Rochester Americans (BUF) 80 51 19 4 6 112 243 208
x–St. John's Maple Leafs (TOR) 80 46 28 5 1 98 244 232
x–Manitoba Moose (VAN) 80 44 26 7 3 98 243 210
x–Hamilton Bulldogs (DAL/MTL) 80 38 29 6 7 89 225 210
e–Syracuse Crunch (CBJ) 80 36 33 4 7 83 215 230
e–Edmonton Road Runners (EDM) 80 32 33 11 4 79 201 223
e–Cleveland Barons (SJS) 80 35 37 6 2 78 200 226
West Division GP W L OTL SOL Pts GF GA
y–Chicago Wolves (ATL) 80 49 24 2 5 105 245 211
x–Milwaukee Admirals (NSH) 80 47 24 5 4 103 247 207
x–Cincinnati Mighty Ducks (ANA) 80 44 31 4 1 93 206 191
x–Houston Aeros (MIN) 80 40 28 6 6 92 212 195
e–Grand Rapids Griffins (DET) 80 41 35 2 2 86 200 200
e–San Antonio Rampage (FLA) 80 27 45 5 3 62 156 232
e–Utah Grizzlies (PHX) 80 23 50 5 2 53 156 265

Scoring leaders

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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

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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

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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

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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. [2]

Trophy and award winners

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Team awards

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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

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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

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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

See also

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References

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Preceded by AHL seasons Succeeded by