2003–04 AHL season
The 2003–04 AHL season was the 68th season of the American Hockey League. The league introduces the Willie Marshall Award in honour the career points leader in the AHL, and awards it to the annual top goal scorer.
The AHL changes from a six division alignment to four divisions within two conferences. The Eastern conference consists of the Atlantic and East divisions, and the Western conference consists 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.
Final standings
Eastern Conference
| East Division | GP | W | L | T | OTL | PTS | GF | GA |
| Philadelphia Phantoms | 80 | 46 | 25 | 7 | 2 | 101 | 216 | 168 |
| Bridgeport Sound Tigers | 80 | 41 | 23 | 12 | 4 | 98 | 178 | 140 |
| Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | 80 | 34 | 28 | 10 | 8 | 86 | 197 | 197 |
| Binghamton Senators | 80 | 34 | 34 | 9 | 3 | 80 | 210 | 216 |
| Norfolk Admirals | 80 | 35 | 36 | 4 | 5 | 79 | 172 | 187 |
| Hershey Bears | 80 | 33 | 34 | 8 | 5 | 79 | 203 | 218 |
| Albany River Rats | 80 | 21 | 39 | 11 | 9 | 62 | 182 | 257 |
Western Conference
| West Division | GP | W | L | T | OTL | PTS | GF | GA |
| Milwaukee Admirals | 80 | 46 | 24 | 7 | 3 | 102 | 269 | 191 |
| Grand Rapids Griffins | 80 | 44 | 28 | 8 | 0 | 96 | 195 | 166 |
| Chicago Wolves | 80 | 42 | 26 | 9 | 3 | 96 | 246 | 208 |
| Houston Aeros | 80 | 28 | 34 | 14 | 4 | 74 | 197 | 220 |
| Cincinnati Mighty Ducks | 80 | 29 | 37 | 13 | 1 | 72 | 188 | 211 |
| San Antonio Rampage | 80 | 30 | 42 | 8 | 0 | 68 | 191 | 231 |
| Utah Grizzlies | 80 | 27 | 42 | 6 | 5 | 65 | 162 | 230 |
Scoring leaders
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 |