2004-05 NHL lockout
Encyclopedia
The 2004–05 NHL lockout was a lockout
Lockout (industry)
A lockout is a work stoppage in which an employer prevents employees from working. This is different from a strike, in which employees refuse to work.- Causes :...

 that resulted in the cancellation of what would have been the 88th season of play of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...

 (NHL). It was the first time the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...

 was not awarded since 1919, and the first time a major professional sports league in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

 canceled a complete season because of a labor dispute. The lockout lasted 44 weeks and 2 days starting September 16, 2004, the day after the collective bargaining agreement
NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement
The NHL collective bargaining agreement is the basic contract between the National Hockey League team owners and the NHL Players Association , designed to be arrived at through the typical labor-management negotiations of collective bargaining...

 (CBA) between the NHL and the NHL Players Association
NHL Players Association
The National Hockey League Players' Association or NHLPA is the labor union for the group of professional hockey players who are under Standard Player Contracts to the thirty member clubs in the National Hockey League located in the United States and Canada...

 (NHLPA) that resolved the 1994–95 lockout expired. The negotiating teams reached an agreement on July 13, 2005, and the lockout officially ended a week and 2 days later on July 22, after both the NHL owners and players ratified the CBA.

Issues

The NHL, led by Commissioner
NHL Commissioner
The National Hockey League Commissioner is the highest-ranking executive officer in the National Hockey League . The position was created in 1993 with Gary Bettman as the first Commissioner...

 Gary Bettman
Gary Bettman
Gary Bruce Bettman is the commissioner of the National Hockey League , a post he has held since February 1, 1993. Previously, Bettman was a senior vice-president and general counsel to the National Basketball Association...

, attempted to convince players to accept a salary structure linking player salaries to league revenues, guaranteeing the clubs what the league called cost certainty. According to an NHL-commissioned report prepared by former U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Arthur Levitt
Arthur Levitt
Arthur Levitt, Jr. was the twenty-fifth and longest-serving Chairman of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission from 1993 to 2001. Widely hailed as a champion of the individual investor, he has been criticized for not pushing for tougher accounting rules. Since May 2001 he has been...

, prior to 2004–05, NHL clubs spent about 76 percent of their gross revenues on players' salaries – a figure far higher than those in other North American sports – and collectively lost US$273 million dollars during the 2002–03 season.

On July 21, 2004, the league presented the NHLPA with six concepts to achieve cost certainty. These concepts are believed to have ranged from a hard, or inflexible, salary cap
Salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...

 similar to the one used in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

, to a soft salary cap with some capped exceptions like the one used in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...

, to a centralized salary negotiation system similar to that used in the Arena Football League
Arena Football League
The Arena Football League is the highest level of professional indoor American football in the United States. It is currently the second longest running professional football league in the United States, after the National Football League. It was founded in 1987 by Jim Foster...

 and Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...

. According to Bettman, a luxury tax
Luxury tax (sports)
A luxury tax in professional sports is a surcharge put on the aggregate payroll of a team to the extent to which it exceeds a predetermined guideline level set by the league...

 similar to the one used in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 would not have satisfied the league's cost certainty objectives. Most sports commentators saw Bettman's plan as reasonable, but some critics pointed out that a hard salary cap without any revenue sharing was an attempt to gain the support of the big market teams, such as Toronto
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

, Detroit
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...

, the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...

, Dallas
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...

, Vancouver
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...

, and Philadelphia
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

, teams that did not support Bettman during the 1994–95 lockout.

The NHLPA, under executive director Bob Goodenow
Bob Goodenow
Robert W. "Bob" Goodenow is an American manager, who became the Executive Director of the National Hockey League Players Association in 1992, succeeding Alan Eagleson...

, disputed the league's financial claims. According to the union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...

, "cost certainty" is little more than a euphemism
Euphemism
A euphemism is the substitution of a mild, inoffensive, relatively uncontroversial phrase for another more frank expression that might offend or otherwise suggest something unpleasant to the audience...

 for a salary cap, which it had vowed never to accept. The union rejected each of the six concepts presented by the NHL, claiming they all contained some form of salary cap. The NHLPA preferred to retain the present "marketplace
Marketplace
A marketplace is the space, actual, virtual or metaphorical, in which a market operates. The term is also used in a trademark law context to denote the actual consumer environment, ie. the 'real world' in which products and services are provided and consumed.-Marketplaces and street markets:A...

" system where players individually negotiate contracts with teams, and teams have complete control of how much they want to spend on players. Goodenow's mistrust of the league was supported by a November 2004 Forbes report that estimated the NHL's losses were less than half the amounts claimed by the league.

Several players criticized the contracts that overpaid unproven players. One example was the 2002 Bobby Holik
Bobby Holik
Robert Holík is a retired Czech-American professional ice hockey center who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League...

 contract in which the New York Rangers signed him to five years for $45 million. After two years, his contract was bought out by the Rangers: "In the new world we live in, Bobby was just paid too much," according to Glen Sather
Glen Sather
Glen Cameron "Slats" Sather is the President and general manager of the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He has also served as the head coach of the Rangers, as well as General Manager and coach of the Edmonton Oilers of the World Hockey Association and later NHL...

, the Rangers' president.

Although the NHL's numbers were disputed, there was no question that several franchises were losing money, as several had declared bankruptcy. Other franchises had held "fire sales" of franchise players, such as the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...

. The league did not have large TV revenues in the US, so the NHL was reliant on attendance revenues more than other leagues. Many NHL teams had low attendance totals in preceding seasons.

Negotiations

Prior to the lockout, in late 2003 the union proposed a system that included revenue sharing
Revenue sharing
Revenue sharing has multiple, related meanings depending on context.In business, revenue sharing refers to the sharing of profits and losses among different groups. One form shares between the general partner and limited partners in a limited partnership...

, a luxury tax
Luxury tax (sports)
A luxury tax in professional sports is a surcharge put on the aggregate payroll of a team to the extent to which it exceeds a predetermined guideline level set by the league...

, a one-time five percent rollback in player salaries, and reforms to the league's entry level system. The league rejected this proposal almost immediately because it essentially maintained the status quo in favor of the players. Shortly before the lockout commenced in 2004, the NHLPA offered another proposal to the league that was believed to be similar to their earlier proposal. The league again rejected the union offer, claiming the union's new proposal was worse than the offer they rejected in 2003. At this point, negotiations stopped until early December, when the NHLPA made a highly anticipated proposal based on a luxury tax that increased the proposed one-time rollback in players' salaries from 5 to 24 percent. The NHL rejected the offer and countered with a proposal that the union quickly rejected.

In late January 2005, near what the hockey media believed to be the point of no return for the 2004–05 season, discussions were held by the negotiators from both sides, excluding Bettman and Goodenow. The NHL was represented by Executive Vice President Bill Daly
Bill Daly
William L. "Bill" Daly is an attorney and the Current Deputy Commissioner and chief legal officer of the NHL under Commissioner Gary Bettman. He is also a Hockey Hall of Fame Board Member and former NHL Vice President and Chief Legal Officer. Before joining the NHL front office he worked for the...

, outside counsel Bob Batterman, and NHL Board of Governors Chairman Harley Hotchkiss
Harley Hotchkiss
Harley Norman Hotchkiss, was a Canadian business and community leader who was best known for his contributions to health and sports development in Canada. He was one of the original owners that brought the National Hockey League's Atlanta Flames to Calgary in 1980 and remained a team owner until...

, who also co-owns the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...

. The NHLPA was represented by President Trevor Linden
Trevor Linden
Trevor John Linden, C.M., O.B.C. is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played centre and right wing with four different teams: the Vancouver Canucks , New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens, and Washington Capitals...

, Senior Director Ted Saskin
Ted Saskin
Ted Saskin is the former NHL Players Association executive director. He assumed the title after Bob Goodenow resigned on July 28, 2005, but was unanimously fired by the NHLPA on May 10, 2007, after a union-commissioned report concluded Saskin had quarterbacked a campaign to hack into player email...

, and associate counsel Ian Pulver. After four meetings, the sides remained deadlocked because of, according to Saskin, "significant philosophical differences." Shortly after this series of meetings, Daly presented Saskin a proposal that the league believed made a number of concessions to the players, but was still based on a salary cap linked to revenues. The players' association rejected the proposal, saying that it was "not the basis for an agreement."

After these negotiations failed, on Wednesday February 9, Bettman declared that if the lockout was not resolved by the weekend, there would be no hope of saving the season. When talks broke off between the NHL and the NHLPA the next day, there had been no progress in negotiations. On February 14, the union offered to accept a $52 million salary cap under the condition that it was not linked to league revenues. The league proposed a counteroffer with a $40 million cap plus $2.2 million in benefits, which the players association refused. The next day, Bettman sent Goodenow a letter with a final proposal of a $42.5 million cap plus $2.2 million in benefits, setting a deadline of 11:00AM the next day to accept or refuse the offer. The NHLPA presented a counter-offer involving a $49 million cap, which the league rejected.

With no resolution by the 11:00 deadline, Bettman announced the cancellation of the 2004–05 season on February 16, 2005, making the NHL the first major professional sports league in North America to cancel an entire season because of a labor dispute; the announcement was to have come on February 14, but it was delayed because of the death of the patriarch of the Sutter hockey family
Sutter family
The Sutter family, originally from Viking, Alberta, Canada, is one of the most famous families in the National Hockey League . Six brothers: Brent, Brian, Darryl, Duane, Rich, and Ron, reached the NHL in the 1970s and 80s. Four brothers, Brian, Duane, Darryl, and Brent have gone on to become...

 four days prior, whose funeral was held on February 15. Two days after the cancellation announcement, The Hockey News
The Hockey News
The Hockey News, commonly abbreviated to THN, is a North American ice hockey magazine published by Transcontinental. The Hockey News was founded in 1947 by Ken McKenzie and Bill Côté, and has since been the most recognized hockey publication in North America...

reported that a deal with a $45 million cap had been reached "in principle" with the help of owners and former players Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...

, and Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux, OC, CQ is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is acknowledged to be one of the best players of all time. He played 17 seasons as a forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League between 1984 and 2006...

. Both camps immediately denied this report. A 6½-hour meeting took place the next day, but no agreement was reached, and the season was lost.

Bolstered by the thought of losing yet another season to a labor dispute, the sides began meeting again in June, with many pundits believing the lockout would end on July 4, 2005. That date eventually came and went, but sources were reporting to media that marathon sessions were taking place. Indeed, the sides met again for ten consecutive days (July 4–13), and a deal was reached "in principle" (meaning the sides have agreed, but nothing is signed) on July 13. According to reports, the July 12 session lasted through the night and until 06:00 on July 13, at which point the talks broke off for five hours, and resumed in time to complete the deal.

On July 21, the players association ratified the agreement with 87 percent of its members voting in favor. The owners unanimously approved it the next day, officially ending the 310 day lockout. The salary cap would be adjusted each year to guarantee players 54 percent of total NHL revenues, and there would also be a salary floor. Player contracts are also guaranteed. The players' share will increase if revenues rise to specific benchmarks, while revenue sharing will split a pool of money from the 10 highest-grossing teams among the bottom 15. There was a $39 million cap in place for the first year of the CBA.

Effects of the lockout

A Canadian public opinion poll conducted by Ipsos-Reid
Ipsos-Reid
Ipsos Reid is a research company based in Canada and is the Canadian arm of the global Ipsos Group. Founded in Winnipeg in 1979, the company expanded across the country and became part of the Ipsos Group in 2000....

 near the start of the lockout found that 52 percent of those polled blamed NHL players for the lockout and only 21 percent blamed the owners of NHL teams.

Also hurting the NHLPA was the fact that its players had very visibly high salaries, which removed much sympathy from lower-to-middle class fans. It did not help that Jeremy Roenick
Jeremy Roenick
Jeremy Shaffer "J.R." Roenick is a former American professional ice hockey player who played the majority of his career in the National Hockey League . He played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Phoenix Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, and San Jose Sharks over the course of his 18 NHL...

 and several NHLPA executives had made controversial statements which showed their apparent disdain for owners and fans alike.

Some of the owners, notably the big market teams, were criticized upon refusing to commit to lowering ticket prices if a salary cap was successfully implemented. While some argued that ticket prices were tied to demand, that is exactly what player salaries were dictated by in the past. Yet while the owners chose to create an artificial criteria for player salaries (the cap), they refused to break from the "market demand" system when it came to ticket prices, essentially saying that while the players were taking advantage of owners in an "emotional" business, the owners had no such problem taking advantage of fans. However, reduced ticket prices would result in an increase in demand that would significantly outstrip supply.

During the lockout, a movement arose to free the Stanley Cup from the NHL. By the original deed of Lord Stanley, the cup was a challenge cup open to the best amateur hockey team in Canada. Only since 1926 has it been exclusively competed for by NHL teams, and with the 2004-05 NHL season canceled, the group felt that the NHL had forfeited its right to award the Cup for the year. On February 7, 2006, a settlement was reached in which the trophy could be awarded to non-NHL teams should the league not operate for a season, although the NHL by that point was playing again.

Resolution

The loss of the 2004–05 season meant that there were no results on which to base the order of the 2005 entry draft. The league settled on a lottery system in which all teams had a weighted chance at the first pick, expected to be Sidney Crosby
Sidney Crosby
Sidney Patrick Crosby ONS is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League . Crosby was drafted first overall by the Penguins out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League...

. The lottery was tilted so teams with fewer playoff appearances over the last three seasons and fewer number one overall picks over the last four seasons had a better chance of landing higher picks. The complete order was determined by the lottery, and the 2005 draft
2005 NHL Entry Draft
The 2005 NHL Entry Draft was the 43rd NHL Entry Draft.As a lockout cancelled the games of the 2004–05 NHL season, the draft order was determined by lottery on July 22, 2005. Teams were assigned 1 to 3 balls based on their playoff appearances and first overall draft picks from the past three years...

 was conducted in a "snake" style, meaning in even rounds, the draft order was reversed. This system was an attempt to compromise between those who felt all teams should have had an equal chance at the first pick and those who felt only the weaker teams should have been in the running.

To ease the transition to the salary cap, teams were allowed one week to buy out players at two-thirds the cost of their remaining contract, which would not count against the salary cap. Bought out players could not re-sign with the same team.

Effect on NHL and NHLPA

NHLPA Executive Director and General Counsel Bob Goodenow, seen by many as the biggest villain in the lockout because of his hardline stance against a salary cap, resigned from his position five days after the agreement was ratified amid criticism from many of his constituents. He was replaced by Ted Saskin, formerly senior director of business affairs and licensing for the NHLPA. Saskin was officially named executive director of the NHLPA on November 25, 2005, after the players' vote of confidence was confirmed by accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers
PricewaterhouseCoopers
PricewaterhouseCoopers is a global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest professional services firm measured by revenues and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms....

.

NHL Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer Bill Daly
Bill Daly
William L. "Bill" Daly is an attorney and the Current Deputy Commissioner and chief legal officer of the NHL under Commissioner Gary Bettman. He is also a Hockey Hall of Fame Board Member and former NHL Vice President and Chief Legal Officer. Before joining the NHL front office he worked for the...

 was promoted to deputy commissioner after the lockout. Both Saskin and Daly had played a key role in brokering the current agreement.

Europe

The majority of players who agreed to play in other professional hockey leagues were playing in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

. During 2004–05 season, 388 NHL players played in European leagues. The most popular countries were Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

, with 78 NHL players, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

, with 75 NHL players, the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....

, with 51 NHL players, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...

, with 45 NHL players and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 with 22 NHL players. In many cases, players who had originally begun their careers in Europe returned to those same teams for the lockout.

Russian Superleague
Russian Superleague
The Russian Superleague , commonly abbreviated as RSL, was the highest division of the main professional ice hockey league in Russia. It was considered the second best league in the world, after the National Hockey League of North America...

 team AK Bars Kazan signed 11 NHL players, including Ilya Kovalchuk
Ilya Kovalchuk
Ilya Valerevich Kovalchuk is a Russian professional ice hockey left winger who is an alternate captain of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League. Drafted first overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers, he began his NHL career in 2001–02 with Atlanta and was...

, Aleksey Morozov
Aleksey Morozov
Aleksey Alekseyevich Morozov is a Russian professional ice hockey player currently playing for Ak Bars Kazan of the Kontinental Hockey League...

 and Vincent Lecavalier
Vincent Lecavalier
Vincent Lecavalier is a Canadian professional hockey center and captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League .-Rimouski Océanic:...

 while Pavel Datsyuk
Pavel Datsyuk
Pavel Valerievich Datsyuk is a professional ice hockey player from Russia and alternate captain for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League . He is known for his stick-handling and is considered the best two-way forward in the game today, having won the Frank J. Selke Trophy in the...

 played for HC Dynamo Moscow
HC Dynamo Moscow
HC Dynamo Moscow was a Russian professional ice hockey club based in Moscow. They were members of the Bobrov Division in the Kontinental Hockey League...

, Patrik Elias
Patrik Elias
Patrik Eliáš is a Czech professional hockey left winger and alternate captain for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League . A long-time Devil and currently the team's longest-tenured skater, Eliáš is the franchise's all-time leading scorer, while also holding franchise records for most...

 played for Czech HC JME Znojemští Orli
HC JME Znojemští Orli
Orli Znojmo is a Czech-based ice hockey team that currently plays in the Austrian Hockey League. The club is based in Znojmo and their home arena is Hostan Arena....

 and Russian Metallurg Magnitogorsk
Metallurg Magnitogorsk
Metallurg Magnitogorsk is a professional ice hockey team based in Magnitogorsk, Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia. They are members of the Kharlamov Division of the Kontinental Hockey League...

, and Czech superstar Jaromir Jagr
Jaromir Jagr
Jaromír Jágr is a Czech professional ice hockey right winger who plays for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League . Jágr formerly played with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, and New York Rangers, serving as captain of the Penguins and the Rangers...

 played for HC Kladno
HC Kladno
Rytíři Kladno is a Czech professional ice hockey team based in the city of Kladno. They are currently a member of the Czech Extraliga, the top flight level of ice hockey in the Czech Republic....

 and then Avangard Omsk
Avangard Omsk
Avangard Omsk are a professional ice hockey team from Siberia based in the city of Omsk, Russia. They are members of the Chernyshev Division of the Kontinental Hockey League.-Overview:...

.

Other Czech players returned to the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....

, including Milan Hejduk
Milan Hejduk
Milan Hejduk is a Czech professional ice hockey forward and the captain for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League .- Playing career :...

 (HC Pardubice
HC Pardubice
HC ČSOB Pojišťovna Pardubice is a professional ice hockey club that plays in the Czech Extraliga. It is located in Pardubice, home venue is ČEZ Arena. The club previously was named HC Eaton Pardubice, but since the 2011–12 season the club is named HC ČSOB Pojišťovna Pardubice.-History:Ice hockey is...

), Martin Straka
Martin Straka
Martin Straka is a Czech ice hockey centre who plays for HC Plzeň 1929 of the Czech Extraliga. He is also the club's general manager and co-owner.-Playing career:...

 (HC Plzeň), Ales Hemsky
Ales Hemsky
Aleš Hemský is a Czech professional ice hockey forward and alternate captain currently playing for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League .-HC Pardubice:...

 (HC Pardubice
HC Pardubice
HC ČSOB Pojišťovna Pardubice is a professional ice hockey club that plays in the Czech Extraliga. It is located in Pardubice, home venue is ČEZ Arena. The club previously was named HC Eaton Pardubice, but since the 2011–12 season the club is named HC ČSOB Pojišťovna Pardubice.-History:Ice hockey is...

) and Martin Rucinsky
Martin Rucinsky
Martin Ručinský is a Czech professional ice hockey player currently playing for HC Litvínov of the Czech Extraliga. Ručínský was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the first round as the 20th overall selection in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft on June 22, 1991. Ručinský led the Montreal Canadiens in...

 (HC Litvínov).

Swiss Nationalliga A had its own NHL-stars when Canadians Joe Thornton
Joe Thornton
Joseph Eric Thornton is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League . He was selected first overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft and went on to play seven seasons with the club, five as its Captain. During the...

 and Rick Nash
Rick Nash
Rick Nash is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger and captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League ....

 signed with HC Davos
HC Davos
Hockey Club Davos is a professional Swiss ice hockey club based in Davos, Switzerland. Davos play in the Swiss National League A, which is ranked as Europe's sixth best ice hockey league. The team is usually a strong force in the league and often bolster their roster with Swiss national team...

, Danny Brière and Dany Heatley
Dany Heatley
Daniel James Heatley is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger, and alternate captain for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League . Originally drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers second overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the top NHL rookie in 2002...

 signed with SC Bern
SC Bern
Schlittschuh Club Bern is an ice hockey team based in Bern, Switzerland. The club was the most attended team in Europe for the 2010-11 season, averaging 15,856 spectators....

 of the Swiss league. This lockout was a major benefit for Swiss Ice hockey.

Swedish superstar Peter Forsberg
Peter Forsberg
Peter Mattias "Foppa" Forsberg is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey player and currently an assistant general manager of Modo Sports. Known for his on-ice vision and physical play, Forsberg is considered one of the most complete players of his generation...

 returned to his original club, Modo
MODO Hockey
Modo Hockey is a professional ice hockey club in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. The club plays in Sweden's premier ice hockey league, the Elitserien. They were founded in 1921 and have won two Elitserien championships; in 1979 and 2007. The team's home arena is the Fjällräven Center since 2006...

, in a move that he had planned before the lockout. Also returning to Modo along with Forsberg were Canucks teammates Daniel Sedin
Daniel Sedin
Daniel Sedin is a Swedish professional ice hockey winger with the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League , and serves as an alternate captain for the Canucks during home games. His identical twin brother Henrik also plays for the Canucks, and is the team captain...

, Henrik Sedin
Henrik Sedin
Henrik Sedin is a Swedish professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . His identical twin brother Daniel also plays for the Canucks. Having played together throughout their careers, the pair are known for their effectiveness playing off one...

, and Markus Näslund
Markus Näslund
Sten Markus Näslund is a Swedish ice hockey general manager for Modo Hockey and a retired professional winger. He played in the National Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers, as well as in the Elitserien with Modo Hockey...

, all of whom were originally drafted from Modo, while still others joined other Elitserien
Elitserien
Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden...

 sides. Some Elitserien
Elitserien
Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden...

 games were also being broadcast by Rogers Sportsnet
Rogers Sportsnet
Sportsnet was launched on October 9, 1998 as CTV Sportsnet. The name was chosen to match the regional "Fox Sports Net" operations across the United States...

 in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

.

Finnish SM-liiga
SM-liiga
The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice...

 had its share of players during the lockout. Notable Finnish players included Saku Koivu
Saku Koivu
Saku Antero Koivu is a Finnish professional ice hockey player and an alternate captain of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League . He began his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens in 1995–96 after three seasons with TPS of the Finnish SM-liiga...

 (TPS
TPS (ice hockey)
TPS or Turun Palloseura is an ice hockey team and 11-time champion of SM-liiga. They play in Turku, Finland at the HK Arena. In terms of championships, TPS is the most successful team in SM-liiga history.-Team history:...

, his first professional team), Olli Jokinen
Olli Jokinen
Olli Jokinen is a Finnish professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . He was initially drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in 1997, third overall after Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. He was the captain of the Florida Panthers from 2003...

 (HIFK
HIFK (ice hockey)
HIFK is an ice hockey team based in Helsinki, Finland. The team plays at Helsinki Ice Hall. It was founded in 1897...

), Jarkko Ruutu
Jarkko Ruutu
Jarkko Ruutu ; born August 23, 1975) is a Finnish professional ice hockey player. Ruutu is currently playing for SM-Liiga team Jokerit. He is the brother of Tuomo Ruutu, currently playing in the NHL on the Carolina Hurricanes, and retired player Mikko Ruutu....

 (HIFK) and Vesa Toskala
Vesa Toskala
Vesa Tapani Toskala is a professional ice hockey goaltender, currently playing for Ilves.-Early career:Toskala was selected by San Jose in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft . The Sharks also took fellow Finn Miikka Kiprusoff in the fifth round...

 (Ilves
Ilves
Ilves is a Finnish sports club nowadays mostly known for their youth work. The ice hockey team plays in the SM-liiga at the Tampereen jäähalli in Hakametsä...

). Teemu Selanne
Teemu Selänne
Teemu Ilmari Selänne nicknamed "The Finnish Flash" is a Finnish professional ice hockey winger, an alternate captain of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League . An offensive player known for his skill and speed, Selanne has led the NHL in goal-scoring three times and has been named to...

 also made a contract with Jokerit
Jokerit
Jokerit is an ice-hockey team from Helsinki, Finland, playing in the Finnish Elite League, SM-liiga. The team has won 6 league championships...

 where he began his professional career, but was unable to play during the entire season. Foreign players included John Madden who played 2 games for HIFK, Sean Avery
Sean Avery
Sean Christopher Avery is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He formerly played for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Dallas Stars and New York Rangers. Prior to the NHL, Avery played for the Owen Sound Platers and the...

, who had a brief stint with the Pelicans
Pelicans (ice hockey)
Pelicans is an ice hockey team playing in the SM-liiga, and formed in 1996. They play in the city of Lahti, Finland at Isku Arena. The team is partially owned by retired NHL goaltender Pasi Nurminen.-Notable players:* Sean Avery* Jason Bonsignore...

. SM-liiga featured two top goaltenders as Dwayne Roloson
Dwayne Roloson
Albert Dwayne Roloson is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning in the National Hockey League . He has previously played for the Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Edmonton Oilers, and New York Islanders during his professional career...

 played for Lukko
Lukko
Lukko is an ice hockey team in the SM-liiga, formed 1936. The full name of the club is Rauman Lukko. They play in Rauma, Finland at the Äijänsuo Arena. They have won the national championship once, in 1963...

 and Tomas Vokoun
Tomas Vokoun
Tomáš Vokoun is a Czech professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently playing for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...

 played for HIFK. Finnish Mestis
Mestis
Mestis, , is the second-highest ice hockey league in Finland.The league was established in 2000 to replace the first division. Since 2000, Mestis has been the highest hockey league in Finland that can be reached with playing merits only; the SM-liiga was closed in 2000...

 also featured NHL-talent when Sami Kapanen
Sami Kapanen
Sami Hannu Antero Kapanen is a Finnish professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for KalPa of the SM-liiga. He has played 12 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers...

 and Kimmo Timonen
Kimmo Timonen
Kimmo Timonen is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenseman and an alternate captain for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...

 played for KalPa
KalPa
The Kalevan Pallo is an ice hockey team in the SM-liiga. They play in Kuopio, Finland at the Niiralan monttu.-Team history:Established in 1929, the full name of the company that runs the representative team is KalPa Hockey Oy. The majority of the company is owned by NHL players Sami Kapanen and...

. Timonen and Kapanen partially owned the team and the duo was joined by Adam Hall
Adam Hall
-Playing career:Hall was a member of the United States National Development Team Program, and twice represented the United States at the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, in 1999 and 2000. He was selected 52nd overall by the Nashville Predators in the second round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft...

 who also played for KalPa during the lockout.

Latvian league
Latvian Hockey League
The Latvian Hockey League is a professional ice hockey league based in Latvia. It is also known in Latvian as Latvijas atklātais čempionāts hokejā ....

 club HK Riga 2000
HK Riga 2000
HK Riga 2000 was a Belarusian Extraliga team based in Riga, Latvia. The team had played in the LHL since it was founded. In 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons the club also iced a team in the Belarusian Hockey League, and in 2005-06 finished 3rd. HK Riga 2000 was first foreign team to finish in top three...

, which played also in the Belarusian Extraleague, signed several NHL players. Two of them were Latvians Karlis Skrastins
Karlis Skrastinš
Kārlis Skrastiņš was a Latvian professional ice hockey player. Skrastins was a member of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League and was on board the team plane which crashed on September 7, 2011...

 and Sergei Zholtok
Sergei Zholtok
Sergejs Žoltoks was a Latvian professional ice hockey center who played ten seasons in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild and Nashville Predators....

 and the third was American Darby Hendrickson
Darby Hendrickson
Darby Joseph Hendrickson is a retired American professional ice hockey center. He played in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Islanders, Vancouver Canucks, Minnesota Wild and the Colorado Avalanche, and is currently an assistant coach with the Wild.-Playing career:He was drafted in...

, who was a close friend of Zholtok. After Zholtok died due to a heart condition, Darby Hendrickson
Darby Hendrickson
Darby Joseph Hendrickson is a retired American professional ice hockey center. He played in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Islanders, Vancouver Canucks, Minnesota Wild and the Colorado Avalanche, and is currently an assistant coach with the Wild.-Playing career:He was drafted in...

 left the club, so that only Skrastins finished the season with the club.

A number of NHL players also came over to Great Britain. In the Elite Ice Hockey League
Elite Ice Hockey League
Several competitions fall under the jurisdiction of the Elite League. In 2006–07, the EIHL ran a total of four competitions: the league, playoffs, Challenge Cup and Knockout Cup. The league consists of a single division, each team playing three home games and three away games against the other...

, Coventry Blaze
Coventry Blaze
Coventry Blaze are an ice hockey team based in Coventry, England. They currently compete in the British Elite Ice Hockey League .-Club history:...

 signed Wade Belak
Wade Belak
Wade Belak was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward and defenceman. He was drafted 12th overall by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft...

, Nottingham Panthers
Nottingham Panthers
The Nottingham Panthers are a British professional ice hockey club based in Nottingham, England. They are members of the Elite Ice Hockey League...

 signed Nick Boynton
Nick Boynton
Nicholas Carl Boynton is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently an unrestricted free agent.-Playing career:...

, Steve McKenna
Steve McKenna
Steve McKenna is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played both defense and left wing. He was a veteran of eight seasons in the NHL.-Playing career:...

 and Ian Moran
Ian Moran
Ian Patrick Moran is a professional ice hockey defenceman, who currently is a free agent.-Early years:Moran grew up in Acton, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston...

, Cardiff Devils
Cardiff Devils
The Cardiff Devils are a Welsh ice hockey team who play in the British Elite Ice Hockey League. The team currently plays in the temporary Cardiff Arena...

 signed Rob Davison
Rob Davison
Rob Davison is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for HC Oceláři Třinec in the Czech Extraliga.-Playing career:...

 and London Racers
London Racers
The London Racers was a British ice hockey club based in London, England formerly members of the Elite Ice Hockey League. Although founded in 2003, it claimed to be a successor of the Harringay Racers club established in 1936. Due to a lack of suitable ice facility the club suspended its team...

 signed Eric Cairns
Eric Cairns
Eric Cairns is a retired ice hockey defenceman and current pro scout for the New York Islanders. His last season was with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL...

 and Scott Nichol
Scott Nichol
Scott B. Nichol is a professional ice hockey player for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:Nichol was drafted in the 11th round, 272nd overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft....

. In the British National League
British National League
The British National League is a defunct second-level professional ice hockey league in the United Kingdom. Although no formal promotion and relegation existed during its period of existence, it was considered to have a standard below that of the Ice Hockey Superleague and above that of the...

, Guildford Flames
Guildford Flames
The Guildford Flames are an ice hockey team based in Guildford, Surrey and their home ice is the Guildford Spectrum.Founded in October 1992, the team played for many years in the British National League...

 signed Jamie McLennan
Jamie McLennan
Jamie McLennan is a former professional ice hockey goaltender. He retired from playing in 2008 after spending a season with the Nippon Paper Cranes of Asia League Ice Hockey.-Playing career:...

 and David Oliver
David Oliver (ice hockey)
David Lee Oliver is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Oliver played several seasons in the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...

, Bracknell Bees
Bracknell Bees
The Bracknell Bees are an ice hockey team from Bracknell, Berkshire, UK.-Early years:The Bracknell Bees were formed in 1987, under the ownership of John Nike OBE. Bees began life in the Heineken League Division Two, under the leadership of former Durham Wasps and Nottingham Panthers forward, Jamie...

 signed Brendan Witt
Brendan Witt
Brendan Witt is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He most recently played for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League, affiliate of the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League ....

 while Newcastle Vipers
Newcastle Vipers
The Newcastle Vipers were an ice hockey club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Former members of the Elite Ice Hockey League, the club previously held membership in the British National League.- History :...

 signed Chris McAllister
Chris McAllister
Chris J. McAllister is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who most recently played for the Wichita Thunder in the Central Hockey League and formerly played in the National Hockey League with the Vancouver Canucks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, Colorado Avalanche and New...

. In 2008, McCallister signed for the Vipers for a second time.

Another notable move came from Karl Dykhuis
Karl Dykhuis
Karl Dykhuis is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 12 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens....

. He signed with the Amsterdam Bulldogs in the Netherlands.

The players Chris Mason (Nashville), Scott Hartnell
Scott Hartnell
Scott Hartnell is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who plays for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...

 (Nashville) and Travis Brigley
Travis Brigley
Travis Brigley is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Bentley Generals in the Chinook Hockey League...

 (Colorado) became Norwegian champions with Vålerenga Ishockey
Vålerenga Ishockey
Vålerenga Ishockey is an Oslo-based ice hockey club, and a part of the Vålerenga IF multi-sports club. Their home arena is Jordal Amfi, located in eastern Oslo. Jordal Amfi was built for the 1952 Winter Olympics. The mother club was founded in 1913, but the did not take up ice hockey until the late...

. In addition, Mark Bell, who at the time was playing for Chicago Blackhawks, played for the Norwegian GET-ligaen
GET-ligaen
GET-ligaen is the premier Norwegian ice hockey league, organised by the Norwegian Ice Hockey Federation. The league was known as 1. divisjon until 1990, when it was reorganized and named Eliteserien . That name was held until 2004 when cable TV company UPC became main sponsor...

 club Trondheim Black Panthers
Trondheim Black Panthers
Trondheim Black Panthers, founded 18 June 1986 as Trondheim Ishockeyklubb, is a defunct ice hockey club which was based in Trondheim, Norway. They played their home games in Leangen Ishall and were members of the highest ice hockey league in Norway from 1987 until 2008...

.

Some NHL players also played for Italian teams of hockey. Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...

 players Steve Montador
Steve Montador
Steve Montador is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...

 and Steven Reinprecht
Steven Reinprecht
Steven Edward "Steve" Reinprecht is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing in the Vancouver Canucks organization. He most recently played on loan for Adler Mannheim of the German Deutsche Eishockey Liga ....

 won the French Ligue Magnus
Ligue Magnus
-Former Teams:*Bisons de Neuilly-sur-Marne*Orques d'Anglet*Sangliers Arvernes*Corsaires de Dunkerque*Albatros de Brest*Jets de Viry-Essonne-Defunct Teams:*Diables Noirs de Tours*Hockey Club de Mulhouse*Séquanes de Besançon*Flammes Bleues de Reims...

 with HC Mulhouse
Scorpions de Mulhouse
The Mulhouse Scorpions were a French ice hockey team in Mulhouse that operated from 1997-2005. In 2001, the club was promoted to the Ligue Magnus...

.

Most of the NHL players playing for European clubs had contract clauses allowing them to leave for the NHL once the lockout ended.

North America

There were two attempts to form alternative professional leagues in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

 during the lockout, but both failed. A revival of the World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association (proposed)
The World Hockey Association was a proposed professional hockey league intended to compete with the established National Hockey League during the 2004–05 NHL lockout...

had been planned since 2002 and was to start play shortly after the lockout was expected to begin. Despite having former WHA
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...

 star Bobby Hull
Bobby Hull
Robert Marvin "Bobby" Hull, OC is a former Canadian ice hockey player. He is regarded as one of the greatest ice hockey players of all time and perhaps the greatest left winger to ever play the game. Hull was famous for his blonde hair, blinding skating speed, and having the hardest shot, earning...

 as commissioner, however, the league never got off the ground. A lack of stable financing undermined plans to sign both locked-out players and top prospects such as Sidney Crosby
Sidney Crosby
Sidney Patrick Crosby ONS is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League . Crosby was drafted first overall by the Penguins out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League...

.

Another league, the Original Stars Hockey League (OSHL), was established in Canada and expected to play four-on-four games between six teams (ostensibly representing the Original Six
Original Six
The Original Six is a term for the group of six teams that composed the National Hockey League for the 25 seasons between the 1942–43 season and the 1967 NHL Expansion. These six teams are the Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and the...

 cities) in various Canadian cities until the lockout was settled. More than 100 players purportedly signed up to play in the OSHL. The league debuted on September 17, 2004 in Barrie, Ontario
Barrie, Ontario
Barrie is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada, located on the western shore of Lake Simcoe, approximately 90 km north of Toronto. Although located in Simcoe County, the city is politically independent...

, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. In the inaugural game, "Toronto" defeated "Detroit" 16–13. The next and last game was played in Brampton, Ontario
Brampton, Ontario
Brampton is the third-largest city in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada and the seat of Peel Region. As of the 2006 census, Brampton's population stood at 433,806, making it the 11th largest city in Canada. It is also one of Canada's fastest growing municipalities, with an average...

 with "Boston" defeating "Montreal" 14–11. However, escalating salary demands by players quickly bankrupted the league. Shortly after its first two games, OSHL president Randy Gumbley announced that the league had received firm commitments from only twenty players, and the league soon folded.

NHL players looking for a place to play clearly preferred stable, established European clubs to upstart leagues that have since been derisively dubbed as "fly-by-night" operations by their critics. A small number of players played for established minor league
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...

 teams near their families and homes, while others chose to repay the league which gave them a start by returning.

The Motor City Mechanics
Motor City Mechanics
The Motor City Mechanics were a professional ice hockey team of the United Hockey League. The Mechanics played their first two seasons, from 2004–2006, at Great Lakes Sports City Superior Arena in Fraser, Michigan...

 of the UHL got a major boost during their first year in existence when the lockout officially started. The team signed Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...

 players Chris Chelios
Chris Chelios
Christos Kostas Tselios is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman. He is currently the Executive Advisor to Ken Holland, the general manager of the Detroit Red Wings, a role that Steve Yzerman held before leaving to become general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning.Chelios played...

, Derian Hatcher
Derian Hatcher
Derian Hatcher is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Minnesota North Stars, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers...

, and Kris Draper
Kris Draper
Kristopher Draper is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player. Draper is a four-time winner of the Stanley Cup, a Frank J. Selke Trophy winner and scored over 100 goals in the Red Wings uniform. Draper was a member of the famous Grind Line in Detroit, consisting of himself, Kirk Maltby...

. This happened because Derian Hatcher knew the team was playing at Great Lakes Sports City Superior Arena
Great Lakes Sports City Superior Arena
Great Lakes Sports City Superior Arena is a 3,400-seat multi-purpose arena in Fraser, Michigan. It is the largest of the 5 rinks inside of the Great Lakes Sports City building. The arena was the home of the Motor City Mechanics of the former United Hockey League...

 where he often played growing up. Unfortunately because of visa problems Kris Draper never played a game for the Mechanics. Later on they also signed Bryan Smolinski
Bryan Smolinski
Bryan Anthony Smolinski is an American professional ice hockey center. The Boston Bruins drafted him 21st overall in 1990. He has played in the National Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings, Ottawa Senators, Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks and...

 and Sean Avery
Sean Avery
Sean Christopher Avery is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He formerly played for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Dallas Stars and New York Rangers. Prior to the NHL, Avery played for the Owen Sound Platers and the...

 and were able to roll four NHL players on their opponents. All of the players had some experience or connection to the area.

The ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...

 gained some players. Scott Gomez
Scott Gomez
Scott Carlos Gomez is an American ice hockey center of both Mexican and Colombian descent, currently playing for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...

 played for his hometown team, the Alaska Aces and won the ECHL's Most Valuable Player award, while Curtis Brown
Curtis Brown (hockey player)
Curtis Dean Brown is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre and defenceman. He was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the second round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft...

, whose wife is a native of Southern California, played for the San Diego Gulls
San Diego Gulls (1995-2006)
The third San Diego Gulls team was founded in 1995 immediately upon departure of the IHL team. The new Gulls were a part of the West Coast Hockey League. The Gulls played at the San Diego Sports Arena, formerly known as the "iPayOne Center."-History:...

, and Bates Battaglia
Bates Battaglia
-International:-Personal life:Battaglia lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, the home of his former team, the Carolina Hurricanes. He owns a neighborhood bar called "Lucky B's Around The Corner," located in the heart of Raleigh's Glenwood South District. He is the grandson of Chicago Outfit loanshark...

 joined his younger brother Anthony on the Mississippi Sea Wolves
Mississippi Sea Wolves
The Mississippi Sea Wolves were a professional hockey team based in Biloxi, Mississippi and playing in the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. The Sea Wolves were members of the ECHL....

 roster. A pair of Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...

 teammates, Shane Hnidy
Shane Hnidy
Shane Hnidy is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. On August 31, 2011, it was announced that Hnidy would be part of the radio broadcast team for the Winnipeg Jets, formerly the Atlanta Thrashers, which was one of his former teams.-Playing career:Shane Hnidy played junior hockey...

 and Jeremy Stevenson
Jeremy Stevenson
Jeremy Stevenson is a retired professional ice hockey left winger who last played for the Kalamazoo Wings of the International Hockey League. He grew up in Elliot Lake, Ontario...

, both of whom had early careers in the ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...

, returned to the league and found themselves playing against each other in the first round of the Kelly Cup playoffs, as Hnidy's Florida Everblades
Florida Everblades
The Florida Everblades are an ECHL ice hockey team playing in the Southeast Division. The team is based in Estero, Florida and plays at Germain Arena . The team has existed since 1998...

 faced Stevenson's South Carolina Stingrays
South Carolina Stingrays
The South Carolina Stingrays are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in North Charleston, South Carolina. The Stingrays play in the South Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. They play their home games at the North Charleston Coliseum. The Carolina Ice Palace, also located in...

 in the American Conference quarterfinals.

Some prospects who may have never had a serious look were given chances they thought they never would have. Undrafted journeyman Chris Minard
Chris Minard
Christopher Minard is a Canadian ice hockey player for the Detroit Red Wings in the National Hockey League . Minard began his professional career in 2002 with the Pensacola Ice Pilots of the ECHL.-Playing career:...

 had been signed with Alaska for his third season in the ECHL when the lockout allowed Davis Payne
Davis Payne
Davis Payne is a retired Canadian ice hockey winger who played in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins and is the former head coach of the St. Louis Blues.-Playing career:...

 to assign him on the same line as Gomez at the Aces. Gomez saw a gem that led to the 2005 ECHL All-Star Game, and a top ECHL player that season; the pairing led to Gomez giving Minard a shot after the lockout ended, and he played his way into the AHL, and eventually signing a two-way contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...

, receiving in 2007-08 his first call-up to the NHL. Minard said about the experience, "That's when I learned a lot about being a goal-scorer, playing with a guy like that who can pass the puck. It was a pretty cool experience."

In addition, many younger players who could be impact players on their NHL rosters stayed down in the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...

 for a full season - most notably Jason Spezza
Jason Spezza
Jason Anthony Rocco Spezza is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre, an alternate captain of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League...

, who won the league scoring title and MVP awards - changing the aspect of that league's entire season. A record crowd of 20,103 fans packed the Wachovia Center
Wachovia Center
The Wells Fargo Center is an indoor arena located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....

 in Philadelphia for Game Four of the Calder Cup
Calder Cup
The Calder Cup is awarded annually to the playoff champion of the American Hockey League. The trophy is the world's second oldest continuous professional ice hockey championship, having first been awarded in 1937 following the 1936-37 AHL season, and continuously being awarded every year.The cup...

 finals between the Philadelphia Phantoms
Philadelphia Phantoms
The Philadelphia Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League from 1996 to 2009. The club was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and played most of its home games at the Spectrum. During schedule conflicts or some Calder Cup playoff games, games were...

 and Rosemont's Chicago Wolves
Chicago Wolves
The Chicago Wolves are a professional hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois...

. The Wolves, Rochester Americans
Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial...

, Manitoba Moose
Manitoba Moose
The Manitoba Moose were a Canadian professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba that played in the International Hockey League from 1996 to 2001 and American Hockey League from 2001 to 2011. The team moved to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador in 2011 to become the St...

, Hamilton Bulldogs
Hamilton Bulldogs
The Hamilton Bulldogs are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, at Copps Coliseum, nicknamed 'The Dog Pound'. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens...

, and Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Bridgeport Sound Tigers
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers are an ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. It has been the AHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, who also own the franchise, since its inception, and use the same team colors as the parent Islanders do. The team is based in...

 each saw attendance figures increase over ten percent from 2003–04 in the AHL, with the Moose average attendance soaring 24.09 percent from the previous year. In the ECHL, the Gwinnett Gladiators
Gwinnett Gladiators
The Gwinnett Gladiators are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Duluth, Georgia. The Gladiators play in the South Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. The Gladiators play their home games at the Arena at Gwinnett Center....

, San Diego Gulls, Bakersfield Condors
Bakersfield Condors
The Bakersfield Condors are a minor league ice hockey team based in Bakersfield, California. The team plays in the Pacific Division of the ECHL's Western Conference. The Condors join the Houston Aeros as an affiliate of the Minnesota Wild in the National Hockey League...

, and Charlotte Checkers also saw similar gains, with the Atlanta Thrashers
Atlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...

-affiliated Gladiators receiving a gain of over 20 percent in attendance from the previous year.

However, the lockout negatively affected many minor-league players, where the influx of NHL players forced many to play in lower-level leagues for less money or out of jobs altogether.

In addition, other minor hockey leagues benefited from the lack of competition from the major professional league. The Ontario Hockey League
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....

 was a particular beneficiary, with teams such as the London Knights
London Knights
The London Knights are a junior ice hockey team from London, Ontario, Canada, playing in the Ontario Hockey League, one of the leagues of the Canadian Hockey League.-Early days–1968:...

 and Saginaw Spirit
Saginaw Spirit
The Saginaw Spirit is a major junior ice hockey team based in Saginaw, Michigan. They are members of the West Division of the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League , one of the Major Junior leagues of the Canadian Hockey League ....

 garnering considerable attention. The lack of the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...

 playoffs also created increased interest in the 2005 Memorial Cup
2005 Memorial Cup
The 2005 Memorial Cup was held May 21–29, 2005 at the John Labatt Centre in London, Ontario. The Cup tournament featured the champions from the Western Hockey League, the Kelowna Rockets, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the Rimouski Océanic, the Ottawa 67's representing the Ontario Hockey...

 tournament with record TV ratings. Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...

 Adrienne Clarkson
Adrienne Clarkson
Adrienne Louise Clarkson is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 26th since Canadian Confederation....

 mused publicly about the possibility of awarding the Stanley Cup to the best women's hockey team that year, but this idea was so unpopular that instead the Clarkson Cup
Clarkson Cup
The Clarkson Cup is an ice hockey trophy, which since 2009 has been awarded to the winner of the Canadian Women's Hockey Championship. Like the Stanley Cup, it was created by and named after a former Governor General of Canada: Adrienne Clarkson....

 was created. The 2005 Allan Cup
Allan Cup
The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men’s ice hockey champions of Canada. It has been competed for since 1909. The current champion is the Clarenville Caribous hockey club of Newfoundland and Labrador.-History:...

 in Lloydminster
Lloydminster
Lloydminster is a Canadian city which has the unusual geographic distinction of straddling the provincial border between Alberta and Saskatchewan...

 also attracted elevated national media interest.

In the Western Hockey League
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...

, the Calgary Hitmen
Calgary Hitmen
The Calgary Hitmen are a major junior ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Hitmen play in the Central Division of the Western Hockey League . They play their home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Bret "The Hitman" Hart, a local-born professional wrestler, was a founding owner...

 were the most watched team in North America, averaging 10,062 fans per game. Their season total of 362,227 shattered the WHL and CHL
Canadian Hockey League
The Canadian Hockey League is an umbrella organization that represents the three Canadian-based major junior ice hockey leagues for players 16 to 20 years of age. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League, and is composed of its three member leagues, the Western Hockey...

 records and represented a 33% increase over 2003–04. The Vancouver Giants
Vancouver Giants
The Vancouver Giants are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Hockey League . Inaugurated in 2001–02, the Giants have won one President's Cup in 2006 and one Memorial Cup in 2007 in their ten-season history...

 also experienced a massive increase, finishing second in the WHL with 302,403 fans going through the turnstiles.

International hockey

The lockout had a substantial effect on international tournaments run by the International Ice Hockey Federation
International Ice Hockey Federation
The International Ice Hockey Federation is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and in-line hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 70 members...

. The most notable effect was observed in the 2005 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
2005 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
The 2005 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was held between December 25, 2004, and January 4, 2005, at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, United States...

 in Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 52,838, while that of the city and surrounding metropolitan area was 98,461...

, and Thief River Falls, Minnesota
Thief River Falls, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,410 people, 3,619 households, and 2,091 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,760.0 people per square mile . There were 3,931 housing units at an average density of 822.7 per square mile...

. With the NHL inactive, the top eligible U-20 players were not playing in that league and thus were available to their countries for the tournament. The country that benefitted most as a result was Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. The Canadians not only ended a seven-year gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...

 drought at this competition, they outscored their opponents 41–7 and defeated Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

 6–1 in the final game. Many analysts believe that the Canadian team was the most dominating ever in this tournament, aided in no small part by players such as Patrice Bergeron
Patrice Bergeron
Patrice Bergeron is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain currently playing for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League...

 who could have expected to have commitments in the NHL.

At the time that the 2004–05 season was canceled, it was not immediately clear how the lockout would affect the 2005 World Ice Hockey Championships. Normally, NHL players from teams that failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs
Stanley Cup playoffs
The Stanley Cup playoffs is an elimination tournament in the National Hockey League consisting of four rounds of best-of-seven series. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records...

 participate in this tournament. Since no playoffs were being held, theoretically all NHL players could participate. In reality, however, many NHL players declined to participate, and national teams were naturally reluctant to select players who lacked game conditioning. For all of the teams (including the North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

n ones), the bulk of the national teams' rosters consisted of players who were playing in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

.

Effects outside hockey

Canadian sports fans also turned to the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....

, and the CFL recorded significant increases in attendance and television ratings during the final weeks of the 2004 CFL season
2004 CFL season
The 2004 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 51st season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 47th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2004:...

 compared to 2003
2003 CFL season
The 2003 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 50th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 46th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2003:...

, ultimately setting a new record for total playoff
Playoff
The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S...

 attendance. The league was able to hold onto at least some of these gains in 2005
2005 CFL season
The 2005 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 52nd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 48th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2005:...

. The National Lacrosse League
National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League is a men's professional indoor lacrosse league in North America. It currently has nine teams; three in Canada and six in the United States. Unlike other lacrosse leagues which play in the summer, the NLL plays its games in the winter and spring. Each year, the playoff...

 also saw a modest boost in attendance. Also in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...

 (NBA) also saw some big gains in attendance in markets in which have both NHL and NBA teams, this is in part because the NHL and NBA season run in a similar time frame within the year and often play in the same venue. The National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

 (NFL) and Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 (MLB) also saw some minor gains in attendance in 2004-2005.

The Philips Arena
Philips Arena
Philips Arena is an indoor arena in Atlanta, Georgia.Completed in 1999 to replace The Omni, at a cost of $213.5 million, it is home to the Atlanta Hawks, of the National Basketball Association, and the Atlanta Dream, of the Women's National Basketball Association...

 requested the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...

 to move the SEC Women's Basketball Tournament out of their venue because of logistics, because the 55th NHL All-Star Game was scheduled for late January, while the SEC tournament was scheduled five weeks later. The resulting move led to the BI-LO Center
Bi-Lo Center
The BI-LO Center is an arena located in downtown Greenville, South Carolina, that is used for concerts, football, and hockey. The arena is currently used by the Greenville Force of the Southern Indoor Football League and the Greenville Road Warriors of the ECHL.- History :The BI-LO Center was...

, an ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...

 arena 140 miles to the east in Greenville, South Carolina
Greenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...

, hosting the tournament, drawing the ire of the NAACP, who wanted the SEC to ban the venue from hosting tournaments because of its location. Philips Arena was granted the NHL All-Star Game in 2008 as compensation.

News coverage

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