Hockeytown Chat: Player Spotlight #1

Hey Hey Wing-Nuts!

Since we are still weeks away from the start of the season, I felt like taking advantage of this slow period to do some player spotlights, especially for the newest players to the team, so that we can all get to know them better before their debut!

This week the spotlight will be on: Defenseman Mike Commodore No. 22.

Mike Commodore is from Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada; born November 7, 1979 (31); he is 6’4” and approximately 233 lbs. He attended the University of North Dakota where they won an NCAA Championship in 1999. 

He was also drafted in 1999 in the second round by the New Jersey Devils.  His rookie season with the Devils was in 2000-01. He played with the Devils for one more season (2001-02) before being traded to the Anaheim Ducks and then to the Calgary Flames for the 2002-03 season. He was then traded to the Carolina Hurricanes before the 2005-06 season where he helped the team win its first Stanley Cup. During the 2007-08 season he was traded to the Ottawa Senators, where he completed the season. He then signed a five year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Blue Jackets then bought him out of his contract after the end of this past season, and he signed a one-year deal with the Wings!

So far in his career he has played 454 games, has 23 goals, 81 assists, 645 penalties in minutes, 166 hits, and 112 blocks. 

I am interested to see how he is going to fit into the Wings mold for defense, though I am thrilled that we have a right-handed shot, we can't just have "south-paws" on our defense! I would guess based on his production numbers that he will be either on the third or fourth defense paring, possibly with Ian White. But for that I guess we have to wait until training camp and the pre-season games!

Go Wings! (and regular season tickets go on sale September 1!!)