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.
game at HSBC Arena 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 which would cause that league's 2004–05 season to be canceled on February 16, 2005. 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 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
- The Toronto Roadrunners moved to Edmonton, Alberta, becoming the Edmonton Road Runners.
Final standings
Eastern Conference
| East Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SL | Pts | GF | GA |
| Binghamton Senators | 80 | 47 | 21 | 7 | 5 | 106 | 276 | 217 |
| Philadelphia Phantoms | 80 | 48 | 25 | 4 | 3 | 103 | 235 | 185 |
| Norfolk Admirals | 80 | 43 | 30 | 6 | 1 | 93 | 200 | 188 |
| Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | 80 | 39 | 27 | 7 | 7 | 92 | 227 | 219 |
| Hershey Bears | 80 | 39 | 37 | 2 | 2 | 82 | 207 | 226 |
| Bridgeport Sound Tigers | 80 | 37 | 38 | 1 | 4 | 79 | 192 | 222 |
| Albany River Rats | 80 | 29 | 38 | 6 | 7 | 71 | 198 | 248 |
Western Conference
| West Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SL | Pts | GF | GA |
| Chicago Wolves | 80 | 49 | 24 | 2 | 5 | 105 | 245 | 211 |
| Milwaukee Admirals | 80 | 47 | 24 | 5 | 4 | 103 | 247 | 207 |
| Cincinnati Mighty Ducks | 80 | 44 | 31 | 4 | 1 | 93 | 206 | 191 |
| Houston Aeros | 80 | 40 | 28 | 6 | 6 | 92 | 212 | 195 |
| Grand Rapids Griffins | 80 | 41 | 35 | 2 | 2 | 86 | 200 | 200 |
| San Antonio Rampage | 80 | 27 | 45 | 5 | 3 | 62 | 156 | 232 |
| Utah Grizzlies | 80 | 23 | 50 | 5 | 2 | 53 | 156 | 265 |
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 | 80 | 32 | 85 | 117 | 50 |
| Mike Cammalleri | Manchester Monarchs | 79 | 46 | 63 | 109 | 60 |
| David Ling | St. John's Maple Leafs | 80 | 28 | 60 | 88 | 152 |
| Kyle Wellwood | St. John's Maple Leafs | 80 | 38 | 49 | 87 | 20 |
| Simon Gamache | Milwaukee Admirals | 80 | 29 | 57 | 86 | 93 |
| Peter Sarno | Manitoba Moose | 80 | 16 | 66 | 82 | 53 |
| Chris Taylor | Rochester Americans | 79 | 21 | 58 | 79 | 50 |
| Andy Hilbert | Providence Bruins | 79 | 37 | 42 | 79 | 83 |
| Denis Hamel | Binghamton Senators | 80 | 39 | 39 | 78 | 75 |
| Eric Staal | Lowell Lock Monsters | 77 | 26 | 51 | 77 | 88 |
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 | 35 | 1900 | 19 | 11 | 1 | 56 | 7 | 1.77 | 0.935 |
| Jason LaBarbera | Hartford Wolf Pack | 53 | 2937 | 31 | 16 | 2 | 90 | 6 | 1.84 | 0.934 |
| Adam Hauser | Manchester Monarchs | 32 | 1867 | 19 | 11 | 0 | 60 | 5 | 1.93 | 0.933 |
| Cam Ward | Lowell Lock Monsters | 50 | 2829 | 27 | 17 | 3 | 94 | 6 | 1.99 | 0.937 |
| Josh Harding | Houston Aeros | 42 | 2388 | 21 | 16 | 3 | 80 | 4 | 2.01 | 0.930 |