The 2004–05 NHL season would have been the 88th regular season of the National Hockey League (NHL). The season was officially canceled on February 16, 2005 due to an unresolved lockout that began on September 16, 2004. The loss of the 2004–05 season made the NHL the first North American professional sports league to cancel an entire season because of a labour dispute. It was also the first time the Stanley Cup was not awarded since 1919 when a Spanish flu pandemic cancelled the championship.

According to the International Ice Hockey Federation, 388 NHL players were on teams overseas at some point during the season, spread across 19 European leagues. Many of these players had a contract clause to return to the NHL when the league started up again, even if it was during the current season.

Key rule changes which would dominate after the lockout were established through a key meeting between the NHL and its top minor league, the American Hockey League. On July 5, 2004, the AHL announced publicly the 2004–05 rule changes, many of which were passed as a result of the NHL's recommendation for experimentation.

Experimental rule changes

At the AHL's Board of Governors meeting in June 2004 at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, the Board, in agreement with the NHL, agreed to adopt new rules for the season.

• In case of a tie game after overtime of regular season games, there is a shootout with five shots per team in the AHL and 3 shots per team in the NHL, and if it is still tied, the shootout becomes sudden death. The shootout would be similar to what is used in most minor leagues which have adopted the rule, such as the ECHL. When the NHL resumed play, shootouts were cut to an initial three shots per team.

• The "tag-up offside" rule that was eliminated in 1996 was reinstated for 2004–05. An attacking player is considered offside if he enters his offensive zone prior to the puck entering the zone.
  • Between 1996 and 2004, if a player was offside, the play would continue only if the attacking players cleared the zone and allowed the defending team to carry the puck all of the way out of the zone.
  • The tag-up offside rule allows for play to continue as long as all offside players are clear of the offensive zone simultaneously by touching the blue line (and "tag up") prior to touching the puck or becoming involved in the play.

• Goaltenders' leg pads were reduced in size from 12" (30 cm) to 11" (27.5 cm). This rule was postponed for a season, but by the resumption of the NHL, the leg pad rules were in effect. However, the original proposal was to cut the pads down to 10" (25 cm).

• Automatic ("no-touch") icing, as enforced in other minor leagues such as the ECHL (as well as in European ice hockey leagues such as Elitserien), was enforced. An icing infraction is called immediately when the puck crosses the goal line. This rule did not continue into the next season of the AHL or NHL.

• Blue and red lines were doubled in width, from 12 inches (31 cm) to 24 inches (62 cm). This added additional space to the neutral zone in between the blue lines. Passes would still be allowed from the defensive edge of the blue line to the offensive edge of the red line.

• Goal lines were moved two feet closer to the end boards, from 13 feet to 11 feet. The blue lines were moved to maintain a 60-foot attack zone in a 200-foot rink.

• During the first seven weeks of the 2004–05 AHL season, an experimental rule added a new trapezoid-shaped zone directly behind the net, restricting the area where a goaltender may play the puck behind the net. This rule was approved permanently after the seven-week experimental period.

These rule changes combined to make games shorter by 10 to 15 minutes per game, therefore "improving" the quality of the game by having less downtime.

See also

• 2004 NHL Entry Draft
• 2004–05 NHL lockout
• NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement
• 2004 World Cup of Hockey
• 2005 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
• 2004 in sports
• 2005 in sports

Notes