The 2003-04 NHL season was the 87th regular season of the National Hockey League. 30 teams each played 82 games. The Stanley Cup winners were the Tampa Bay Lightning, who won the best of seven series 4–3 against the Calgary Flames.
Missing imageDaveandreychuk.jpg Regular season
The 2003-04 season was one overhung by concern over the expiry of the NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement. That could lead to a shuttering of the league for the entirety of the next season. During the entire season Commissioner Gary Bettman and Players Association head Bob Goodenow waged a war of words with no agreement being signed.
In August, just before the season was to begin the young Atlanta Thrashers star Dany Heatley crashed his Ferrari in suburban Atlanta, the passenger Thrashers workhorse Dan Snyder was killed. Heatley himself was badly injured and eventually charged with vehicular homicide. The entire NHL thus began the season in mourning.
Going into the season the two favourites were the Ottawa Senators in the east, who had won the Presidents' Trophy and come within a goal of the Stanley Cup finals the year before; and the Colorado Avalanche in the west, who despite losing legendary goaltender Patrick Roy to retirement, added both Teemu Selänne and Paul Kariya to an already star-studded lineup. Neither of these teams was as successful as expected with Ottawa finishing fifth in the conference and Colorado finishing fourth, losing the Northwest Division title for the first time in a decade.
The greatest disappointments were the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, who, despite making it to game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals the year before and adding Sergei Fedorov and Vaclav Prospal, failed to make the playoffs. In the East the star-studded New York Rangers again failed to make the playoffs. The Washington Capitals, who were regarded as a contender, also stumbled early and never recovered. The end of the season saw two of the most extensive housecleanings in league history as the Rangers and Capitals traded away most of their stars and entered rebuilding mode. The Capitals traded Jaromir Jagr, Peter Bondra, Sergei Gonchar, Robert Lang, Steve Konowalchuk, and Anson Carter. The Rangers moved Petr Nedved, Brian Leetch, Anson Carter, and Alexei Kovalev.
The most surprising teams were the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference and San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference. The Lightning, who had a remarkable season with only 20 man-games lost to injury, finished atop the Eastern Conference. The Sharks, who were firmly in rebuilding mode after a disastrous campaign the last season, came second in the Western Conference and won the Pacific Division.
Two others teams that did better than expected were carried by surprising young goaltenders. The Calgary Flames ended a seven-year playoff drought backed by the surprising play of Miikka Kiprusoff. The Boston Bruins won the Northeast Division by a whisker with the help of Calder Trophy candidate Andrew Raycroft.
Goaltending was also the story of the Presidents Trophy wining Detroit Red Wings as the return from retirement of legend Dominik Hasek bumped Curtis Joseph to the minor leagues. At the same time long time back up Manny Legace put up better numbers than both veterans and won the starting job in the playoffs.
Of note is the fact that the Nashville Predators made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. They put up a valiant effort but were unable to overcome the hall of fame bound roster of the Detroit Red Wings in the first round.
Final standings
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, GF= Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points
Stanley Cup playoffs
Note: All dates in 2004.
The 2004 playoffs were considered to be wide open with no clear favourite. All of the top teams had weaknesses. Tampa Bay and Boston were both young teams with no history of recent postseason success. Detroit, Ottawa, Colorado, and Philadelphia all had major questions in goal. New Jersey was marred by injuries to Scott Stevens and Brian Rafalski, while Vancouver was missing the suspended Todd Bertuzzi.
The first round Eastern Conference matchups were notable for the number of heated rivalries. The Ottawa Senators met their Ontario neighbours Toronto Maple Leafs for the fourth time in five years in the always passion-filled Battle of Ontario. The Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens met in a resumption of the most common of all NHL playoff series, and one which the Canadiens have thoroughly dominated, including an upset win two years ago. The Philadelphia Flyers played hated division rival the New Jersey Devils. The only non-rivalry was the Tampa Bay-New York Islanders series.
The West saw the resumption of the Vancouver-Calgary rivalry, which had been somewhat dormant as the Flames had missed the playoffs for 8 years in a row. In a less passionate but still interesting matchup, Detroit played division rival Nashville, who they had struggled against during the regular season in Nashville's first ever franchise visit to the playoffs. San Jose met the St. Louis Blues. The always difficult four-five matchup saw Colorado and Dallas meet.
The Calgary Flames, a sixth seed, defeated three straight division champions, the Canucks, the Red Wings and the Sharks to become the first Canadian team to reach the Stanley Cup Finals in ten years when the Canucks lost to the Rangers in the Finals. They faced the Tampa Bay Lightning, who defeated the Islanders in five, swept the Canadiens and defeated the Flyers in seven games.
The Flames and the Lightning battled hard in the Stanley Cup Finals, eventually pushing the series to seven games. By game 5, the Flames took the 3-2 series lead back to Calgary, but the Lightning battled back to win games 6 and 7 to win the Stanley Cup on their home ice. Brad Richards, with a team-high 25 points in the playoffs was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Conference quarterfinals
Eastern Conference
| Tampa Bay vs. NY Islanders
|
| Date | Away | Home
|
| April 8 | NY Islanders 0 | 3 Tampa Bay
|
| April 10 | NY Islanders 3 | 0 Tampa Bay
|
| April 12 | Tampa Bay 3 | 0 NY Islanders
|
| April 14 | Tampa Bay 3 | 0 NY Islanders
|
| April 16 | NY Islanders 2 | 3 Tampa Bay | OT
|
| Tampa Bay wins series 4–1
|
|
|
| Philadelphia vs. New Jersey
|
| Date | Away | Home
|
| April 8 | New Jersey 2 | 3 Philadelphia
|
| April 10 | New Jersey 2 | 3 Philadelphia
|
| April 12 | Philadelphia 2 | 4 New Jersey
|
| April 14 | Philadelphia 3 | 0 New Jersey
|
| April 17 | New Jersey 1 | 3 Philadelphia
|
| Philadelphia wins series 4–1
|
|
|
Western Conference
| Detroit vs. Nashville
|
| Date | Away | Home
|
| April 7 | Nashville 1 | 3 Detroit
|
| April 10 | Nashville 1 | 2 Detroit
|
| April 11 | Detroit 1 | 3 Nashville
|
| April 13 | Detroit 0 | 3 Nashville
|
| April 15 | Nashville 1 | 4 Detroit
|
| April 17 | Detroit 2 | 0 Nashville
|
| Detroit wins series 4–2
|
|
| San Jose vs. St. Louis
|
| Date | Away | Home
|
| April 8 | St. Louis 0 | 1 San Jose | OT
|
| April 10 | St. Louis 1 | 3 San Jose
|
| April 12 | San Jose 1 | 4 St. Louis
|
| April 13 | San Jose 4 | 3 St. Louis
|
| April 15 | St. Louis 1 | 3 San Jose
|
| San Jose wins series 4–1
|
|
| Vancouver vs. Calgary
|
| Date | Away | Home
|
| April 7 | Calgary 3 | 5 Vancouver
|
| April 9 | Calgary 2 | 1 Vancouver
|
| April 11 | Vancouver 2 | 1 Calgary
|
| April 13 | Vancouver 0 | 4 Calgary
|
| April 15 | Calgary 2 | 1 Vancouver
|
| April 17 | Vancouver 5 | 4 Calgary | 3OT
|
| April 19 | Calgary 3 | 2 Vancouver | OT
|
| Calgary wins series 4–3
|
|
| Colorado vs. Dallas
|
| Date | Away | Home
|
| April 7 | Dallas 1 | 3 Colorado
|
| April 9 | Dallas 2 | 5 Colorado
|
| April 12 | Colorado 3 | 4 Dallas | OT
|
| April 14 | Colorado 3 | 2 Dallas | 2OT
|
| April 17 | Dallas 1 | 5 Colorado
|
| Colorado wins series 4–1
|
|
Conference semifinals
Eastern Conference
| Tampa Bay vs. Montreal
|
| Date | Away | Home
|
| April 23 | Montreal 0 | 4 Tampa Bay
|
| April 25 | Montreal 1 | 3 Tampa Bay
|
| April 27 | Tampa Bay 4 | 3 Montreal | OT
|
| April 29 | Tampa Bay 3 | 1 Montreal
|
| Tampa Bay wins series 4–0
|
|
| Philadelphia vs. Toronto
|
| Date | Away | Home
|
| April 22 | Toronto 1 | 3 Philadelphia
|
| April 25 | Toronto 1 | 2 Philadelphia
|
| April 28 | Philadelphia 1 | 4 Toronto
|
| April 30 | Philadelphia 1 | 3 Toronto
|
| May 2 | Philadelphia 7 | 2 Toronto
|
| May 4 | Toronto 2 | 3 Philadelphia | OT
|
| Philadelphia wins series 4–2
|
|
Western Conference
| Detroit vs. Calgary
|
| Date | Away | Home
|
| April 22 | Calgary 2 | 1 Detroit | OT
|
| April 24 | Calgary 2 | 5 Detroit
|
| April 27 | Detroit 2 | 3 Calgary
|
| April 29 | Detroit 4 | 2 Calgary
|
| May 1 | Calgary 1 | 0 Detroit
|
| May 3 | Detroit 0 | Calgary 1 | OT
|
| Calgary wins series 4–2
|
|
| San Jose vs. Colorado
|
| Date | Away | Home
|
| April 22 | San Jose 5 | 2 Colorado
|
| April 24 | San Jose 4 | 1 Colorado
|
| April 26 | Colorado 0 | 1 San Jose
|
| April 28 | Colorado 1 | 0 San Jose | OT
|
| May 1 | San Jose 1 | 2 Colorado | OT
|
| May 4 | Colorado 1 | 3 San Jose
|
| San Jose wins series 4–2
|
|
Conference finals
Eastern Conference
| Tampa Bay vs. Philadelphia
|
| Date | Away | Home
|
| May 8 | Philadelphia 1 | 3 Tampa Bay
|
| May 10 | Philadelphia 6 | 2 Tampa Bay
|
| May 12 | Tampa Bay 4 | 1 Philadelphia
|
| May 15 | Tampa Bay 2 | 3 Philadelphia
|
| May 18 | Philadelphia 2 | 4 Tampa Bay
|
| May 20 | Tampa Bay 4 | 5 Philadelphia | OT
|
| May 22 | Philadelphia 1 | 2 Tampa Bay
|
Tampa Bay wins series 4–3
and Prince of Wales Trophy
|
|
|
Stanley Cup finals
|
| Missing image
Stanleycuptrophy.jpg
|
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points
NHL Awards
The NHL Awards presentation took place in Toronto.
| Art Ross Memorial Trophy: | Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning
|
| Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: | Bryan Berard, Chicago Blackhawks
|
| Calder Memorial Trophy: | Andrew Raycroft, Boston Bruins
|
| Frank J. Selke Trophy: | Kris Draper, Detroit Red Wings
|
| Hart Memorial Trophy: | Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning
|
| Jack Adams Award: | John Tortorella, Tampa Bay Lightning
|
| James Norris Memorial Trophy: | Scott Niedermayer, New Jersey Devils
|
| King Clancy Memorial Trophy: | Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames
|
| Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: | Brad Richards, Tampa Bay Lightning
|
| Lester B. Pearson Award: | Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning
|
| Lester Patrick Trophy: | Mike Emrick, John Davidson, Ray Miron
|
| Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophy: | Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames; and
Ilya Kovalchuk, Atlanta Thrashers; and
Rick Nash, Columbus Blue Jackets
|
| NHL Plus/Minus Award: | Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning; and
Marek Malik, Vancouver Canucks
|
| Vezina Trophy: | Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
|
| William M. Jennings Trophy: | Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
|
Related topics
