2004–05 New Jersey Devils season
| Industry | Professional ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1982 (relocated from Colorado) |
| Headquarters | Newark , United States |
Key people | Lou Lamoriello (General Manager) |
| Products | Ice hockey team |
The 2004–05 season for the New Jersey Devils represented the team's 31st campaign in the NHL and their 23rd since moving from Colorado in 1982. Unfortunately, the entire season was wiped out due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout.
NHL lockout
During the lockout, Devils' General Manager Lou Lamoriello played a significant role as a member of the NHL's negotiating panel. Known for his strong leadership, he was invited by the players' association to participate in a January meeting intended to resolve the labor dispute. While this gathering prompted further discussions, it did not produce an immediate settlement. Lamoriello maintained a hopeful outlook well into February 2005, stressing the importance of patience and the chance to still save part of the season.
He later urged for more focused bargaining efforts, insisting that negotiations should either culminate in an agreement or be conclusively ended before being suspended. After the lockout was finally resolved, Lamoriello commended the new collective bargaining agreement for promoting fairness and enhancing competitive balance throughout the league.
Amidst the work stoppage, Devils center Scott Gomez returned to Anchorage to join the Alaska Aces in the ECHL. He led that league with 86 points over 68 contests and was honored as its Most Valuable Player.
Schedule
The Devils revealed their regular season schedule on July 14, 2004, followed by the announcement of their preseason slate on July 19, 2004.
| 1 | September 28 | New York Rangers |
| 2 | September 30 | @ New York Rangers |
| 3 | October 1 | @ New York Islanders |
| 4 | October 6 | @ Philadelphia Flyers |
| 5 | October 8 | New York Islanders |
| 6 | October 9 | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 1 | October 15 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 2 | October 16 | @ Buffalo Sabres |
| 3 | October 20 | New York Islanders |
| 4 | October 23 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 5 | October 26 | @ New York Islanders |
| 6 | October 29 | St. Louis Blues |
| 7 | October 30 | @ Ottawa Senators |
| 8 | November 2 | @ Philadelphia Flyers |
| 9 | November 3 | @ Washington Capitals |
| 10 | November 6 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 11 | November 8 | @ Atlanta Thrashers |
| 12 | November 10 | Nashville Predators |
| 13 | November 12 | Dallas Stars |
| 14 | November 13 | @ Washington Capitals |
| 15 | November 16 | Ottawa Senators |
| 16 | November 18 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
... [schedule continues through game 82] ...
Transactions
From June 8, 2004—immediately after the conclusion of the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals—until February 16, 2005, when the season was officially canceled, the Devils engaged in several roster moves.
Trades
| Date | Transaction Details | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 26, 2004 | Acquired by New Jersey Devils Template:Blist |
Sent to Dallas Stars Template:Blist |
|
Players acquired
| Date | Player | Previous team | Contract length | Acquisition method | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 3, 2004 | Darren Langdon | Montreal Canadiens | 2-year deal | Signed as a free agent | [1][2] |
| July 12, 2004 | Richard Matvichuk | Dallas Stars | Four years | Acquired via free agency | [3][4] |
| July 15, 2004 | Krzysztof Oliwa | Calgary Flames | Not specified | Signed through free agency | [5] |
| August 13, 2004 | Bobby Allen | Edmonton Oilers | Not stated | Free agent signing | [6] |
| Pascal Rheaume | St. Louis Blues | Not specified | Signed as a free agent | [6] | |
| Ray Schultz | Nashville Predators | Not specified | Acquired through free agency | [6] | |
| Steven Spencer | South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL) | Not indicated | Free agent signing | [6] |
Players lost
| Date | Player | Destination team | Departure method[lower-alpha 1] | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2004 | Greg Crozier[lower-alpha 2] | Contract expired (VI) | ||
| Joe Hulbig[lower-alpha 3] | Contract expired (VI) | |||
| Corey Schwab[lower-alpha 4] | Contract expired (III) | |||
| July 3, 2004 | Turner Stevenson | Philadelphia Flyers | Signed elsewhere as a free agent (III) | |
| July 7, 2004 | Raymond Giroux | Minnesota Wild | Free agency move (VI) | |
| July 19, 2004 | Craig Darby | Tampa Bay Lightning | Joined new team via free agency (UFA) | |
| July 28, 2004 | Maxim Balmochnykh | HC Lipetsk (RUS-2) | Signed as a free agent (VI) | |
| July 29, 2004 | Tommy Albelin | Announced retirement (III) | ||
| August 9, 2004 | Steve Kariya | Ilves (Liiga) | Free agent departure (VI) | |
| September 2004 | Mike Matteucci | Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) | Signed elsewhere via free agency (VI) | |
| September 28, 2004 | Chris Hartsburg | Colorado Eagles (CHL) | Joined new club through free agency (UFA) |
Signings
| Date | Player | Term | Contract type | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 29, 2004 | Ivan Khomutov | Entry-level | [7] | |
| July 1, 2004 | John Madden | 5-year | Contract renewal | [8][2] |
| Jay Pandolfo | 4-year | Contract renewal | [8][2] | |
| July 7, 2004 | Grant Marshall | multi-year | Contract renewal | [9] |
| July 8, 2004 | Jeff Friesen | 1-year | Contract renewal | [2] |
| July 15, 2004 | Viktor Kozlov | 1-year | Contract renewal | [10] |
| August 10, 2004 | Scott Gomez | 1-year | Arbitration decision | [11] |
| August 12, 2004 | Brian Rafalski | 1-year | Contract renewal | [4] |
| August 13, 2004 | Ari Ahonen | Contract renewal | [6] | |
| Scott Clemmensen | Contract renewal | [6] | ||
| Brett Clouthier | Contract renewal | [6] | ||
| Ryan Murphy | Contract renewal | [6] | ||
| Scott Niedermayer | 1-year | Arbitration decision | [4] | |
| August 19, 2004 | Sergei Brylin | multi-year | Contract renewal | [12] |
Draft selections
At the 2004 NHL entry draft held in Raleigh, North Carolina, the Devils made the following picks:
| Round | Overall Pick | Player Name | Nationality | Position | Previous Team (League) | Remarks |
| 1 | 20 | Travis Zajac |  Canada
|
Center | Salmon Arm Silverbacks (BCHL) | This first-round choice was obtained from Dallas by trading away their original first- and third-round selections. |
| 2 | 57 | No selection in the second round | This pick was traded along with Mike Rupp to Phoenix in exchange for Jan Hrdina. | |||
| 3 | 88 | No third-round selection | ||||
| 4 | 121 | No fourth-round selection | This pick was traded to the Columbus organization for Grant Marshall. | |||
| 5 | 155 | Alexander Mikhailishin |  Russia
|
Defenseman | Spartak St. Petersburg (Vysshaya Liga) | |
| 6 | 185 | Josh Disher | Canada
|
Goalie | Erie Otters (OHL) | |
| 7 | 216 | Pierre-Luc Létourneau-Leblond | Canada
|
Right Wing | Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL) | Selected as a compensatory pick due to signing a Group III free agent. |
| 7 | 217 | Tyler Eckford | Canada
|
Defenseman | Surrey Eagles (BCHL) | |
| 8 | 250 | Nathan Perkovich |  United States
|
Right Wing | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL) | |
| 9 | 282 | Valeri Klimov | Russia
|
Defenseman | Spartak St. Petersburg (Vysshaya Liga) | |
Minor league affiliates
During the 2004–05 AHL season, the Devils’ American Hockey League team, the Albany River Rats, ended up at the bottom of their division standings, failing to qualify for the postseason for a fifth straight year. Veteran forward Dean McAmmond led the team offensively with a total of 61 points, while rookie sensation Zach Parise was close behind with 58 points. The goaltending responsibilities were split between Scott Clemmensen and Ari Ahonen, with Ahonen achieving more victories despite playing fewer games. Both Parise and Clemmensen earned promotions to join the Devils’ NHL squad on a full-time basis in the subsequent 2005–06 New Jersey Devils season.
References
- ↑ "Devils Sign Left Wing Darren Langdon". New Jersey Devils. July 3, 2004. Archived from the original on August 12, 2004. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Everson, Mark (July 8, 2004). "FRIESEN CHOOSES TO REMAIN A DEVIL". New York Post. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
- ↑ "Devils Sign Defenseman Richard Matvichuk". New Jersey Devils. July 12, 2004. Archived from the original on August 12, 2004. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Devils Defenseman Agrees to One-Year Deal". ESPN. August 13, 2004. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
- ↑ "Oliwa a Devil again". CBC.ca. July 15, 2004. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 "Devils Sign Eight Free Agents" (PDF). New Jersey Devils. August 13, 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 9, 2006. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
- ↑ "Ivan Khomutov inks deal with New Jersey Devils – London Knights". London Knights. June 29, 2004. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Lapointe, Joe (July 2, 2004). "Madden Extends Contract with Devils". The New York Times. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
- ↑ "GRANT MARSHALL". TSN.ca. Archived from the original on December 30, 2004. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
07-Jul-04: Re-signed as an unrestricted free agent by the New Jersey Devils to a multi-year contract.
- ↑ Everson, Mark (July 16, 2004). "NIEDERMAYER AND OLIWA RETURN TO NEW JERSEY". New York Post. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
- ↑ "Gomez Awarded $2.9 Million by Arbitrator". TSN.ca. August 10, 2004. Archived from the original on November 17, 2004. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
- ↑ "Devils Extend Forward Sergei Brylin's Contract". New Jersey Devils. August 19, 2004. Archived from the original on November 23, 2004. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
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