General manager Bryan Murray resigned on June 8, 2004, and left to become the new head coach of the Ottawa Senators.
[1] Al Coates, Anaheim’s senior vice-president of business operations, was named interim general manager.
On September 10, just a month before the 2004–05 season was scheduled to start, it was reported in the Los Angeles Times, Orange County Register, and the Associated Press that former Hartford Whalers and Pittsburgh Penguins owner Howard Baldwin was interested in purchasing the Mighty Ducks and moving them to Kansas City, Missouri to play in the then-under construction arena now known as Sprint Center.
[4] The season for the Mighty Ducks were scheduled to begin Wednesday, October 13 with a home game against Calgary.
During the Lockout all their potential rookies such as Ilya Bryzgalov, Dustin Penner, Kurtis Foster, Shane O'Brien and Chris Kunitz as well as prospect Joffrey Lupul earned valuable playing time with their farm team, the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks.