2003–04 AHL season

The 2003–04 AHL season was the 68th season of the American Hockey League. The league introduced the Willie Marshall Award in honor of the career points leader in the AHL, and awards it to the annual top goal scorer.
The AHL switched from a six division alignment to four divisions within two conferences. The Eastern conference consisted of the Atlantic and East divisions, and the Western conference consisted of the North and West divisions. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Milwaukee Admirals finished first overall in the regular season, and won the Calder Cup, defeating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the finals.

Team changes

The Saint John Flames suspend operations, becoming dormant.
The Hamilton Bulldogs and Quebec Citadelles merger dissolves, remaining as a Montreal Canadiens affiliate.
The Edmonton Oilers affiliation resumed operations as the Toronto Roadrunners, based in Toronto, Ontario, playing in the North division.
All teams playing in the 2002-03 North Division play in the new Atlantic Division.
The Hartford Wolf Pack and Springfield Falcons switch from the 2002-03 East Division to the new Atlantic Division.
All teams playing in the 2002-03 South Division play in the new East Division.
The Albany River Rats, Binghamton Senators and Bridgeport Sound Tigers continue to play in the East Division.
The Hamilton Bulldogs, Manitoba Moose and St. John's Maple Leafs switch from the Canadian Division to the new North Division.
The Cleveland Barons, Rochester Americans and Syracuse Crunch switch from the Central Division to the new North Division.
All teams playing in the 2002-03 West Division continue to play in the West Division.
The Cincinnati Mighty Ducks and Grand Rapids Griffins switch from the Central Division to the new West Division.

indicates team clinched division and a playoff spotindicates team clinched a playoff spot

East Division
y–Philadelphia Phantoms	80	46	25	7	2	101	216	168
x–Bridgeport Sound Tigers	80	41	23	12	4	98	178	140
x–Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins	80	34	28	10	8	86	197	197
x–Binghamton Senators	80	34	34	9	3	80	210	216
x–Norfolk Admirals	80	35	36	4	5	79	172	187
e–Hershey Bears	80	33	34	8	5	79	203	218
e–Albany River Rats	80	21	39	11	9	62	182	257

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
Pavel Rosa	Manchester Monarchs	77	39	49	88	32
Domenic Pittis	Rochester Americans	75	20	57	77	137
Miroslav Zalesak	Cleveland Barons	72	35	40	75	80
Eric Perrin	Hershey Bears	71	21	54	75	49
Kirby Law	Philadelphia Phantoms	74	32	41	73	139
Brad Boyes	Cleveland Barons/Providence Bruins	78	31	41	72	51
Steve Kelly	Manchester Monarchs	59	21	49	70	117
Craig Darby	Albany River Rats	77	21	48	69	44
Jeff Hamilton	Bridgeport Sound Tigers	67	43	25	68	26
Donald MacLean	Syracuse Crunch	77	27	41	68	45

The 17th AHL All-Star Classic was played on February 9, 2004, at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Team Canada defeated team PlanetUSA 9–5. In the skills competition held the night before, team PlanetUSA defeated team Canada 18–9.