The 2004–05 Calgary Flames season was the 25th National Hockey League season in Calgary, its games were cancelled as the 2004–05 NHL lockout could not be resolved in time. As a result, the Flames were unable to raise their Western Conference Championship banner until the start of 2005–06 season.
| 2004–05 Calgary Flames | |
|---|---|
| Division | Northwest |
| Conference | Western |
| 2004–05 record | Did not play |
| Team information | |
| General manager | Darryl Sutter |
| Coach | Darryl Sutter |
| Captain | Jarome Iginla |
| Arena | Pengrowth Saddledome |
| Minor league affiliate(s) | Lowell Lockmonsters (AHL) Las Vegas Wranglers (ECHL) |
NHL lockout
Flames owner, and NHL Chairman of the Board, Harley Hotchkiss was a key figure in the resolution of the labour dispute. Initially taking a low key role, Hotchkiss was thrust into the spotlight when he was invited by NHLPA president Trevor Linden to last-ditch meeting in January 2005 to save the season.[1] While that meeting was unsuccessful in resolving the dispute, the two would continue to meet until an agreement was finally hammered out on July 13, 2005. Hotchkiss' role in the negotiations was prominently mentioned when he was voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2006.[2]
Defenceman Mike Commodore created a stir early on in the lockout when he stated during a radio interview for The Fan 960 in Calgary that he would accept a salary cap if it meant resolving the lockout.[3]
I'll risk the slap on the wrist. I don't want to spend however long my career lasts playing here in the American Hockey League, so I think whatever it takes. It's got to be give and take on both sides, not one side can be making all the money. But if (a salary cap is) what it takes -- the sport has to go on -- so I'm going to say, yeah.
Commodore was also critical of the leadership of the NHLPA:
I don't think it's being handled well at all. The thing is, you look at the PA and who's in charge ... it's all the guys that have made $30 million playing this game. If there's never another game of hockey ... and they don't make another cent playing in the NHL, they're gonna be all right.
Unlike other players who made similar statements, Commodore never retracted his comments.
During the lockout, the Flames heavily promoted their Western Hockey League team, the Calgary Hitmen. The result was that the Hitmen obliterated the WHL record for attendance by over 40,000 with a season mark of 362,227.[4] The mark would also set a CHL record. The Hitmen's average of 10,062 was the highest average of any junior or professional hockey team in North America.
Schedule
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Preseason
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Regular season
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Transactions
The Flames were involved in the following transactions from June 8, 2004, the day after the deciding game of the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals, through February 16, 2005, the day the 2004–05 season was officially cancelled.[7]
Trades
| Date | Details | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 25, 2004 | To Calgary Flames 1st-round pick in 2004 2nd-round pick in 2004 | To New York Rangers 1st-round pick in 2004 8th-round pick in 2004 | [8] |
| June 26, 2004 | To Calgary Flames 3rd-round pick in 2004 3rd-round pick in 2004 | To Columbus Blue Jackets 2nd-round pick in 2004 | [8] |
| August 26, 2004 | To Calgary Flames Daymond Langkow | To Phoenix Coyotes Denis Gauthier Oleg Saprykin | [9] |
Players acquired
| Date | Player | Former team | Term | Via | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2, 2004 | Byron Ritchie | Florida Panthers | 3-year | Free agency | [10][11] |
| July 6, 2004 | Carsen Germyn | Norfolk Admirals (AHL) | Free agency | [12] | |
| Mark Giordano | Owen Sound Attack (OHL) | Free agency | [12] | ||
| Davin Heintz | Swift Current Broncos (WHL) | Free agency | [12] | ||
| Dustin Johner | South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL) | Free agency | [12] | ||
| Patrik Nilson | Laredo Bucks (CHL) | Free agency | [12] | ||
| Richie Regehr | Portland Winter Hawks (WHL) | Free agency | [12] | ||
| Justin Taylor | Red Deer Rebels (WHL) | Free agency | [12] | ||
| August 5, 2004 | Jason Wiemer | Minnesota Wild | 3-year | Free agency | [13][14] |
| September 7, 2004 | Sebastien Centomo | Toronto Maple Leafs | Free agency | [15] | |
| September 15, 2004 | Anders Eriksson | Columbus Blue Jackets | Free agency | [16] |
Players lost
| Date | Player | New team | Via[a] | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2004 | Dave Lowry[b] | Contract expiration (III) | [17] | |
| Jesse Wallin[c] | Contract expiration (VI) | [17] | ||
| Brad Werenka[d] | Contract expiration (III) | [17] | ||
| July 6, 2004 | Craig Conroy | Los Angeles Kings | Free agency (III) | [22] |
| July 15, 2004 | Krzysztof Oliwa | New Jersey Devils | Free agency (III) | [23] |
| September 2, 2004 | Petr Buzek | HC Dukla Jihlava (ELH) | Free agency (UFA) | [24] |
| Martin Sonnenberg | Phoenix Coyotes | Free agency (VI) | [25] | |
| September 25, 2004 | Dany Sabourin | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL) | Free agency (UFA) | [26] |
| October 5, 2004 | Dean McAmmond | Albany River Rats (AHL) | Free agency (III) | [27] |
Signings
| Date | Player | Term | Contract type | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2004 | Ville Nieminen | 1-year | Option exercised | [14] |
| July 2, 2004 | Chris Simon | 1-year | Re-signing | [28][11] |
| July 20, 2004 | Marcus Nilson | 3-year | Re-signing | [29][11] |
| July 26, 2004 | Mike Commodore | 2-year | Re-signing | [30][14] |
| August 3, 2004 | Denis Gauthier | 2-year | Re-signing | [31][11] |
| August 18, 2004 | Jordan Leopold | 1-year | Re-signing | [32][14] |
| August 23, 2004 | Miikka Kiprusoff | 1-year | Arbitration award | [33] |
| September 15, 2004 | Lynn Loyns | Re-signing | [34] | |
| Dion Phaneuf | Entry-level | [35] |
Draft picks
Calgary's picks at the 2004 NHL Entry Draft held at Raleigh, North Carolina.[36] The Flames had the 24th overall pick in the draft, the first time they picked outside of the top 20 since 1995.
| Rnd | Pick | Player | Nationality | Position | Team (league) | NHL statistics | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||||||
| 1 | 24 | Kris Chucko |  Canada | LW | Salmon Arm Silverbacks (BCHL) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 3 | 70 | Brandon Prust | Canada | C | London Knights (OHL) | 486 | 40 | 75 | 115 | 1036 |
| 3 | 98 | Dustin Boyd | Canada | C | Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL) | 220 | 32 | 31 | 63 | 41 |
| 4 | 118 | Aki Seitsonen |  Finland | C | Prince Albert Raiders (WHL) | |||||
| 4 | 121 | Kris Hogg | Canada | LW | Kamloops Blazers (WHL) | |||||
| 6 | 173 | Adam Pardy | Canada | D | Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL) | 342 | 4 | 48 | 52 | 269 |
| 6 | 182 | Fred Wikner |  Sweden | F | Frolunda Jr. | |||||
| 7 | 200 | Matthew Schneider | Canada | C | Tri-City Americans (WHL) | |||||
| 7 | 213 | James Spratt |  United States | G | Sioux City Musketeers (USHL) | |||||
| 9 | 279 | Adam Cracknell | Canada | RW | Kootenay Ice (WHL) | 210 | 21 | 22 | 43 | 46 |
Farm teams
The Flames American Hockey League affiliate for the second year was the Lowell Lockmonsters, whom they shared with the Carolina Hurricanes. The Lockmonsters finished with a franchise best record of 47–27–5–1, good for third in the Atlantic Division. The Lockmonsters would be bounced from the playoffs in the second round, however.
Chuck Kobasew led Lowell with a franchise record 38 goals, while Brent Krahn recorded six shutouts in only 35 games as he played backup to Carolina's top goaltending prospect, Cam Ward.
The Las Vegas Wranglers were the Flames ECHL affiliate for the second year in 2004–05. The second year club finished with a 31–33–8 record, missing the playoffs after finishing 7th in the West Division.