2004–05 Philadelphia Flyers season

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.IIHF.com, Lockout list ends at 388 NHL players in Europe as of February 25Vladimir Malakhov and Alexei Zhamnov are not included since their contracts expired prior to the lockout.
Player 	Team 	League/event
Tony Amonte 	Inactive 	Inactive
Donald Brashear 	Quebec Radio X 	LNAH
Sean Burke 	Inactive 	Inactive
Eric Desjardins 	Inactive 	Inactive
Robert Esche 	Inactive 	Inactive
Todd Fedoruk 	Philadelphia Phantoms	American Hockey League
Simon Gagne 	Team Canada 	2005 World Ice Hockey Championships
Michal Handzus 	HKm Zvolen 	Slovak Extraliga
Michal Handzus 	Team Slovakia 	2005 World Ice Hockey Championships
Kim Johnsson 	HC Ambri-Piotta 	Nationalliga A
Sami Kapanen 	KalPa 	Mestis
Mike Knuble 	Linköpings HC 	Elitserien
Mike Knuble 	Team USA 	2005 World Ice Hockey Championships
Claude Lapointe 	Inactive 	Inactive
John LeClair 	Inactive 	Inactive
Danny Markov 	Vityaz Podolsk 	Vysshaya Liga
Keith Primeau 	Inactive 	Inactive
Branko Radivojevic	Vsetin HC 	Czech Extraliga
Branko Radivojevic	Luleå HF 	Elitserien
Marcus Ragnarsson 	Almtuna 	Allsvenskan
Jeremy Roenick 	Inactive 	Inactive
Radovan Somik 	Vsetin HC 	Czech Extraliga
Radovan Somik 	Malmo IF 	Elitserien
Turner Stevenson 	Inactive 	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 20046th round pick in 20046th round pick in 2004
===Other transactions===
Date 	Player 	Team (League) 	Notes
Signed via free agency 	Signed via free agency 	Signed via free agency 	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 	Lost via free agency 	Lost via free agency 	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 	Re-signed 	Re-signed 	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	Signed to Entry Level contracts	Signed to Entry Level contracts	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.hockeydb.com, 2004 NHL Entry Draft
Rnd	# 	Player 	Position 	Nationality	Drafted from
3 	92 	Rob Bellamy 	Right Wing	 	New England Jr. Coyotes (EJHL)
4 	101	R. J. Anderson 	Defenseman	 	Centennial High School (US HS)
4 	124	David Laliberte 	Right Wing	 	Prince Edward Island Rocket (QMJHL)
5 	144	Chris Zarb 	Defenseman	 	Tri-City Storm (USHL)
5 	149	Gino Pisellini 	Right Wing	 	Plymouth Whalers (OHL)
6 	170	Ladislav Scurko 	Center 	 	Spišská Nová Ves (Slovakia)
6 	171	Frederik Cabana 	Center 	 	Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
8 	232	Martin Houle 	Goaltender	 	Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)
8 	253	Travis Gawryletz	Defenseman	 	Trail Smoke Eaters (BCHL)
9 	286	Triston Grant 	Left Wing 	 	Vancouver Giants (WHL)
9 	291	John Carter 	Center 	 	Brewster Bulldogs (NY)
==Farm teams==
The Flyers were affiliated with the Philadelphia Phantoms of the AHL and the Trenton Titans of the ECHL.FlyersHistory.net, Non-AHL Affiliates 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.FlyersHistory.net, AHL Season Overview: 2004–05 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
Category:2004 in hockey
Category:2005 in hockey
2004