The 2004-05 NHL season would have been the 88th regular season of the National Hockey League (NHL). The season was officially cancelled 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. Likewise, it was the first time since 1919 that the Stanley Cup was not awarded. In 1919, the championship was cancelled due to an outbreak of Influenza.

According to the International Ice Hockey Federation, there were 388 NHL players in nineteen European leagues, many of whom had a contract clause to return when the league started up again.

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.

http://www.theahl.com/AHL/News/2004/07/05/526056.html

Experimental rule changes

At the American Hockey League 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.

* In case of a tie game after overtime of regular season games, there is a shoot out with five shots per team, and if it is still tied, the shootout becomes sudden death.

* The "tag-up offside" rule that was eliminated in 1995 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 1995-2004, 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 simutaneously by touching the blue line (and "tags-up") prior to touching the puck or becoming involved in the play.

* Goaltenders' leg pads were reduced in size from 12" (31 cm) to 11" (28 cm). This rule was postponed for a season, but by the resumption of the NHL, the leg pad rules were in effect.

* Automatic ("no touch") icing, as enforced in other minor leagues such as the ECHL, was enforced. An icing infraction is called immediately when the puck crosses the goal line.

* Offside could not be called for a pass which crossed both one blue line and the red line, eliminating the two-line offside pass.

* Double Width Red and Blue Lines were used. Blue and red lines were doubled in width, from 12 inches (31 cm) to 24 inches (62 cm). Passes will be permitted from the defensive edge of one blue to the offensive edge of the other blue line. This will add additional space to the neutral zone.

* 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 neutral zone in a 200 foot rink.

* During the first seven weeks of the 2004-05 AHL season, an experimental rule adds 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 after the seven-week experiment.

Blue ice experiment

With the lockout, many NHL teams brought their AHL affiliates to play in the big league arenas, in an attempt to draw fans and to showcase the play of future big-league talent and the experimental rules.

In November 2004, a meeting with NHL officials noticed most television broadcasts had been dominated by white. A color change was experimented by Buffalo Sabres officials for an AHL game, and Pantone 2975 blue was used in an experiment at HSBC Arena for two AHL games with the Rochester Americans, March 20 vs Cleveland and April 3 vs St. John's.

Sabres managing partner Larry Quinn noted, "HDTV's resolution is like 10 times what regular television is. I've got to believe that a color will show up so much better than just white. If you think about it, even art galleries aren't using white walls anymore."

Because the ice is blue, other parts of the surface had to change colors. The two blue lines are orange. The center-ice red line is dark blue.

"The orange line really jumps off the ice," Quinn said. "The contrast is dramatic. I've got to believe it's going to improve the offside calls, because the linesman has got to be able to see the puck a lot better."

During a March 14 practice, Rochester goaltender Ryan Miller said at first "it was a little weird picking up the puck coming off a darker surface," but he's for the experiment. "If it helps the people watching, that's the whole point," he said.

The experiment was for two games only during the season.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/2005-03-15-blue-ice_x.htm

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

References

* IIHF: NHL players in Europe

NHL season
NHL season
Category:Sports-related flops