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.

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. 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

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) 805121 4 4110258176
Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR) 805024 3 3106206160
Lowell Lock Monsters (CAR/CGY) 804727 5 1 100242190
Providence Bruins (BOS) 804030 7 3 90211202
Worcester Ice Cats (STL) 803934 3 4 85212223
Portland Pirates (WAS) 803434 6 6 80175242
Springfield Falcons (TB) 802447 3 6 57161255
East Division GP W L OTL SL Pts GF GA
Binghamton Senators (OTT) 804721 7 5106276217
Philadelphia Phantoms (PHI) 804825 4 3103235185
Norfolk Admirals (CHI) 804330 6 1 93200188
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT) 8039277 7 92227219
Hershey Bears (COL) 803937 2 2 82207226
Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI) 803738 1 4 79192222
Albany River Rats (NJ) 802938 6 7 71198248

Western Conference

North Division GP W L OTL SL Pts GF GA
Rochester Americans (BUF) 805119 6 4112243208
St. John's Maple Leafs (TOR) 804628 5 1 98244232
Manitoba Moose (VAN) 804426 7 3 98243210
Hamilton Bulldogs (MON/DAL) 803829 6 7 89225210
Syracuse Crunch (CBJ) 803633 4 7 83215230
Edmonton Road Runners (EDM) 80323311 4 79201223
Cleveland Barons (SJ) 803537 6 2 78200226
West Division GP W L OTL SL Pts GF GA
Chicago Wolves (ATL) 804924 2 5105245211
Milwaukee Admirals (NAS) 804724 5 4103247207
Cincinnati Mighty Ducks (ANA) 804431 4 1 93206191
Houston Aeros (MIN) 804028 6 6 92212195
Grand Rapids Griffins (DET) 804135 2 2 86200200
San Antonio Rampage (FLA) 802745 5 3 62156232
Utah Grizzlies (PHX) 802350 5 2 53156265

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 80328511750
Michael Cammalleri Manchester Monarchs 79466310960
David Ling St. John's Maple Leafs 80286088152
Kyle Wellwood St. John's Maple Leafs 8038498720
Simon Gamache Milwaukee Admirals 8029578693
Peter Sarno Manitoba Moose 8016668253
Chris Taylor Rochester Americans 7921587950
Andy Hilbert Providence Bruins 7937427983
Denis Hamel Binghamton Senators 8039397875
Eric Staal Lowell Lock Monsters 7726517788

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 351900191115671.770.935
Jason LaBarbera Hartford Wolf Pack 532937311629061.840.934
Adam Hauser Manchester Monarchs 321867191106051.930.933
Cam Ward Lowell Lock Monsters 502829271739461.990.937
Josh Harding Houston Aeros 422388211638042.010.930

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:
René 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

See also

References

Preceded by
2003–04 AHL season
AHL seasons Succeeded by
2005–06 AHL season
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