2004–05 Philadelphia Flyers season

2004–05 Philadelphia Flyers
Division	Atlantic
Conference	Eastern
2004–05 record	Did not play
Team information
General manager	Bob Clarke
Coach	Ken Hitchcock
Captain	Keith Primeau
Arena	Wachovia Center

The 2004–05 Philadelphia Flyers season would have been the Flyers' 38th season in the National Hockey League (NHL), however it was canceled due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout. The other 29 teams did not play either due to the labor dispute.

NHL lockout

After being defeated in the Eastern Conference Finals by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning in 2003–04, the Flyers prepared for the looming labor unrest that was to come. While team captain Keith Primeau was re-signed to a four-year contract prior to hitting the free agent market, leading scorer Mark Recchi was not and instead signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Flyers did make a couple signings during free agency, signing among others R. J. Umberger, Mike Knuble and Turner Stevenson. The lockout started on September 16, 2004, and those Flyers with two-way contracts were sent down to the Phantoms. Those Flyers with NHL-only contracts either sat out or played in another league.

Player activity

The following is a list of Flyers with NHL-only contracts and whether they were active during the lockout.

Player	Team	League/event
Tony Amonte	Inactive
Donald Brashear	Quebec Radio X	LNAH
Sean Burke	Inactive
Eric Desjardins	Inactive
Robert Esche	Inactive
Todd Fedoruk	Philadelphia Phantoms	American Hockey League
Simon Gagne	Team Canada	2005 World Ice Hockey Championships
Michal Handzus	HKm Zvolen	Slovak Extraliga
	Team Slovakia	2005 World Ice Hockey Championships
Kim Johnsson	HC Ambri-Piotta	Nationalliga A
Sami Kapanen	KalPa	Mestis
Mike Knuble	Linköpings HC	Elitserien
	Team USA	2005 World Ice Hockey Championships
Claude Lapointe	Inactive
John LeClair	Inactive
Danny Markov	Vityaz Podolsk	Vysshaya Liga
Keith Primeau	Inactive
Branko Radivojevic	Vsetin HC	Czech Extraliga
	Luleå HF	Elitserien
Marcus Ragnarsson	Almtuna	Allsvenskan
Jeremy Roenick	Inactive
Radovan Somik	Vsetin HC	Czech Extraliga
	Malmo IF	Elitserien
Turner Stevenson	Inactive
Mattias Timander	Modo Hockey	Elitserien

Transactions

The Flyers completed the following transactions before the lockout suspended all activity:

Trades

June 27, 2004

To Philadelphia Flyers 3rd round pick in 2005

To Tampa Bay Lightning 5th round pick in 2004 6th round pick in 2004 6th round pick in 2004

Other transactions

Date	Player	Team (League)	Notes
Signed via free agency
June 23, 2004	Brent Robinson	Hamilton (AHL)	2 years
July 3, 2004	Mike Knuble	Boston (NHL)
July 3, 2004	Turner Stevenson	New Jersey (NHL)
July 14, 2004	Eric Meloche	Pittsburgh (NHL)
July 27, 2004	Josh Gratton	Cincinnati (AHL)	2 years
August 23, 2004	Ryan Ready	St. Louis (NHL)	1 year
Lost via free agency
July 7, 2004	Kirby Law	Minnesota (NHL)
July 9, 2004	Mark Recchi	Pittsburgh (NHL)
July 22, 2004	Andre Savage	Colorado (NHL)
Re-signed
June 14, 2004	Keith Primeau	—	4 years
August 2, 2004	Simon Gagne	—	1 year
August 2, 2004	Branko Radivojevic	—	1 year
August 6, 2004	Michal Handzus	—	3 years
August 12, 2004	Mattias Timander	—	2 years
August 19, 2004	Sami Kapanen	—	2 years
Signed to Entry Level contracts
June 14, 2004	R.J. Umberger	NY Rangers (NHL)	Unsigned 2001 draft pick
July 13, 2004	Tony Voce	Boston College (HE)	Undrafted free agent
September 8, 2004	David Printz	AIK (Elitserien)	Drafted 225th overall, 2001

Draft picks

Philadelphia's picks at the 2004 NHL Entry Draft in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Rnd	#	Player	Position	Nationality	Drafted from
3	92	Rob Bellamy	Right Wing	United States	New England Jr. Coyotes (EJHL)
4	101	R. J. Anderson	Defenseman	United States	Centennial High School (US HS)
4	124	David Laliberte	Right Wing	Canada	Prince Edward Island Rocket (QMJHL)
5	144	Chris Zarb	Defenseman	United States	Tri-City Storm (USHL)
5	149	Gino Pisellini	Right Wing	United States	Plymouth Whalers (OHL)
6	170	Ladislav Scurko	Center	Slovakia	Spišská Nová Ves (Slovakia)
6	171	Frederik Cabana	Center	Canada	Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
8	232	Martin Houle	Goaltender	Canada	Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)
8	253	Travis Gawryletz	Defenseman	Canada	Trail Smoke Eaters (BCHL)
9	286	Triston Grant	Left Wing	Canada	Vancouver Giants (WHL)
9	291	John Carter	Center	United States	Brewster Bulldogs (NY)

Farm teams

The Flyers were affiliated with the Philadelphia Phantoms of the AHL and the Trenton Titans of the ECHL. With the Flyers season canceled, many players who would normally be in orange and black were in purple, orange, and black instead. Joni Pitkanen and Todd Fedoruk had spent the entirety of the previous season with the Flyers and over a dozen others on the Phantoms roster had previously spent time in the NHL. Led by mid-season acquisition Jon Sim's 35 goals and R. J. Umberger's 65 points, the Phantoms finished second in their division with a record of 48–25–3–4. Reinforced by the arrivals of top junior prospects Jeff Carter and Mike Richards to the team, the Phantoms defeated the Norfolk Admirals in six games, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in five games, and the Providence Bruins in six games to reach the finals. Holding the Chicago Wolves to four goals the entire series, the Phantoms swept the series and won the Calder Cup. Goaltender Antero Niittymaki was awarded the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as playoff MVP. Trenton finished second in their division and after defeating the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies in three games, the Reading Royals in four games, and the Alaska Aces in seven games, the Titans defeated the Florida Everblades in six games to win the Kelly Cup.

See also

• 2004–05 NHL season
• 2004–05 NHL lockout

References

• General: 2004–05 Flyers season on FlyersHistory.net

Philadelphia Flyers
Team	History • Players • Award Winners • Records • Seasons • Draft Picks • The Spectrum • Wachovia Center
Head Coaches	Allen • Stasiuk • Shero • McCammon • Quinn • McCammon • Keenan • Holmgren • Dineen • Simpson • Murray • Cashman • Neilson • Ramsay • Barber • Hitchcock • Stevens • Laviolette • Berube • Hakstol • Vigneault
Division titles	1967-68, 1973-74, 1974-75, 1975-76, 1976-77, 1979-80, 1982-83, 1984-85, 1985-86, 1986-87, 1994-95, 1995-96, 1999-2000, 2001-02, 2003-04
Conference Championships	1974-75, 1975-76, 1976-77, 1979-80, 1984-85, 1986-87, 1996-97
Stanley Cups	1973-74, 1974-75
Affiliates	Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL), Reading Royals (ECHL)