The other night when I watched the Wild and Blue Jackets the TV announcers said that Mike Commodore had been a healthy scratch quite a bit as of late. According to the Columbus Blue Jackets beat writer Mike Commodore has sat out seven of the last eight games. Based on the kind of money big Mike makes it's going to be hard to trade him...
Here's what Commodore said:
"(Arniel) doesn't want to play me. Obviously, he doesn't want to play me. After wins, losses ... it doesn't matter. Obviously, I'm the seventh guy in his mind. So, I'm going to take care of myself, be a good teammate, work hard, practice hard and keep myself ready for whatever comes in the future."
Blue Jackets coach Scott Arniel reiterated his stance yesterday.
"I don't have him in our top six," Arniel said. "He feels he should be, which is why he asked for the trade. I understand that.
"This isn't personal. This has to do with hockey skills. How you play the game, how you are with your teammates, how you work off the ice. It's not personal. He's just not in our top six."
Howson would not comment publicly on the trade demand, but both he and Arniel said Commodore has not been a poor teammate and has not been a distraction in the dressing room.
This is the latest detour in what has been a winding road since Commodore signed a five-year, $18.75 million contract on July 1, 2008. A no-trade clause covered the first two years of the deal, but lifted last July 1.
