2004–05 Ottawa Senators season

The 2004–05 Ottawa Senators season was the 13th season of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). All games were cancelled due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, which cancelled play for the entire League. Several of the Senators' players played for teams in European hockey leagues while some played for the Senators' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Binghamton Senators.

Off-season
On June 8, 2004, Bryan Murray of nearby town Shawville, Quebec, became the team's fifth head coach, leaving the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim where he had previously been general manager.

Like all other NHL teams, the Senators were still eligible to take part in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft and selected Andrej Meszaros in the first round, 23rd overall.

The Senators replaced the traded Patrick Lalime with Dominik Hasek as the Senators' starting goaltender. Due to this signing, centerman Jason Spezza would wear number 19, previously Hasek's number as 39.

NHL lockout
The NHL Chairman of the Board, Harley Hotchkiss was a key figure in the resolution of the labour dispute. Initially taking a low key role, Hotchkiss was thrust into the spotlight when he was invited by National Hockey League Players' Association President Trevor Linden to a last-ditch meeting in January 2005 to save the season. While that meeting was unsuccessful in saving the season, the two would continue to meet until an agreement was finally reached on July 13, 2005. Hotchkiss' role in the negotiations was prominently mentioned when he was voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2006.

Several Senators played with the team's AHL affiliate, the Binghamton Senators, including newly-acquired goaltender Dominik Hasek, who only practiced with the group, and Jason Spezza, who played most of the season with Binghamton.

Schedule
The Senators preseason and regular season schedules were announced on July 14, 2004.

Transactions
The Senators were involved in the following transactions from June 8, 2004, the day after the deciding game of the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals, through February 16, 2005, the day the season was officially cancelled.

Draft picks
Ottawa's draft picks from the 2004 NHL Entry Draft held on June 26 and June 27, 2004 at the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Farm teams

 * Binghamton Senators (American Hockey League)
 * Charlotte Checkers (ECHL)