The
2004–05 NHL season was the
National Hockey League's
88th season of operation. The entire 1,230-game schedule, that was to begin in October, was officially canceled on February 16, 2005 due to an unresolved
lockout that began on September 16, 2004. The
loss of the 2004–05 season's games made the NHL the first North American professional sports league to lose an entire season of games because of a
labor dispute. It was the first time since
1919, when a
Spanish flu pandemic canceled the playoffs, that the
Stanley Cup was not awarded. This canceled season was later acknowledged with the words "2004–05 Season Not Played" engraved on the Cup.