As a result, on September 15, 2004, Bettman announced that the owners again locked the players out prior to the start of the 2004–05 season.
Nadaljnja štiri moštva so se med Bettmanovim mandatom preselila: Minnesota North Stars v Dallas (1993), Quebec Nordiques v Denver (1995), Winnipeg Jets v Phoenix (1996) in Hartford Whalers v Severno Karolino (1997).