2004–05 Philadelphia Flyers season

After being defeated in the seventh game of the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning,[1] the Flyers prepared for the looming labor uncertainty associated with the impending expiration of the existing NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement.

[3] Contract offers were made to impending unrestricted free agents Vladimir Malakhov and Alexei Zhamnov, key acquisitions during the final quarter of the 2003–04 regular season, but the Flyers were unable to come to terms with either player.

[2][4] Unsigned 2001 first-round draft pick R. J. Umberger, whose NHL rights had previously been held by the Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers, signed with the Flyers as an unrestricted free agent on June 16.

[6] On July 13 undrafted free agent forward Tony Voce, who played four seasons at Boston College, became the first native of Philadelphia to sign with the Flyers.

[8][9] Notes: a Neutral site game which was scheduled to be played at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania[9] The lockout started on September 16, 2004 and those Flyers with two-way contracts were sent down to the Phantoms.

The Flyers signed unrestricted free agent R. J. Umberger in June. Umberger’s 65 points during the 2004–05 regular season led the Calder Cup champion Phantoms.
Todd Fedoruk signed an AHL contract with the Phantoms on October 21. [ 11 ]
Simon Gagne played for Canada at the 2005 World Championships, but was otherwise inactive during the 2004–05 season.
The Phantoms won their second Calder Cup on June 10, 2005.