TSR Story on Mike Commodore

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Here's a good story about former Fighting Sioux defenseman Mike Commodore that I found over on Kukla's Korner. There's some interesting things in this article.

Allan Brown, Top Sports Report -- Following stints with Ottawa, Columbus and Detroit, the 6-4 defenseman would eventually end up playing for the same Lightning team that extinguished his Cup dream the first time.

Since leaving Tampa Bay at the end of the 2012 season, Commodore has been making the rounds, playing with both Hamilton and Texas of the AHL. His most recent stint took him to Russia where he played this past season with the KHL’s Vladivostok Admiral.

At 34, Commie, as he is affectionately known to friends and fans, is keeping his future in the proper perspective with the same never-give-up attitude that has served him well since his earliest playing days when he won an NCAA championship with the University of North Dakota. While still with the Fighting Sioux, he was drafted by the New Jersey Devils. The rest is history.

“I am taking it year by year now,” Commodore said. “I enjoyed my experience in Russia and would like to go back for another year. We will see what happens.

“I have lived in and traveled to a ton of cities. I am trying to slow it down a bit now. Unless something unexpected happens, I think I will spend my time in Calgary and Scottsdale once my career is over,” he added.

Bruins trade a Wolverine for a Terrier.

I was a little surprised by this move today, but not totally shocked. The Boston Bruins trade a puck moving defenseman for a defensive prospect that really hasn't played much in the NHL. My first guess is; there will be a few more trades to make room for Marc Savard's return to the Bruins line up. I wonder if Blake Wheeler is next?

BOSTON, MA – Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced today that Boston has acquired defenseman Colby Cohen from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for defenseman Matt Hunwick. Cohen will report to Boston’s minor league affiliate in Providence (American Hockey League).

The 21-year-old Cohen made his NHL debut earlier this season for the Avalanche on November 6 and has skated in three games for the Avs this year. He also registered one goal and 12 penalty minutes in 14 games for Colorado’s minor league affiliate in Lake Erie this season. 2010-11 marks Cohen’s first full professional season after playing three games for Lake Erie at the end of last year.

Cohen skated at Boston University for three seasons from 2007-10 and helped lead the Terriers to the NCAA National Championship in 2009. For his career at BU, the 6’2’’, 200-pound blueliner recorded 25-53=78 totals in 118 Games

NHL asks Court to toss out Jim Balsillie's bid for Coyotes

I knew this was going to happen. The NHL has the right to choose who they want to own a team and in the case I think they can decided that they don't want Jim Balsillie to be an NHL owner. I also think the Buffalo Sabres or the Toronto Maple Leafs don't want another team in their area. If the Yotes go any where I would like to see them go back to where they belong in Winnipeg.

PHOENIX -- The NHL has asked a bankruptcy judge to throw out Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie's bid to buy the Phoenix Coyotes based on the league's overwhelming rejection of him as a potential owner.

The 26-page motion, accompanied by declarations from Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs and Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold, says the owners have concluded that Balsillie would be untrustworthy and that the court has no right to overturn their July 29 vote.

The owners say their opinion is based on Balsillie's behaviour in earlier attempts to purchase the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators.

"We voted to deny approval to Mr. Balsillie because we concluded he lacks the good character and integrity required of a new owner" required under NHL bylaws, said Jacobs, chairman of the league's board of governors.

The board, made up of a representative from each NHL team, voted 26-0 against Balsillie's application. Three abstained and one representative was absent, according to Jacobs.

Brian Lee back with the Senators.

Former Fighting Sioux defenseman Brian Lee is being sent back to the Ottawa Senators after being sent down to Binghamton at the end of February. It will be interesting to see if Brian Lee can spend the rest of the season with the Senators. The Ottawa Senators are in 12th place and will miss the NHL playoffs this season so I can imagine that Lee will be rejoining the Binghamton Senators for the AHL playoffs.

Ottawa ---- The Ottawa Senators today recalled defenseman Brian Lee on an emergency basis from the club's American Hockey League affiliate, the Binghamton Senators.

Lee has two goals, nine assists and 14 penalty minutes over 36 games with the NHL club this season, while averaging 19:09 minutes of time-on-ice. This will be Lee's fourth appearance with the Senators this season, after most recently playing 28 games before being assigned to Binghamton on Feb. 27.

In 27 AHL games with Binghamton this season, the 21-year-old has two goals, 10 assists and 41 penalty minutes.

The Senators next see action tomorrow night, when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs at 7:30 p.m.

Its official biting someone is only worth two games.

Its official: Saying sloppy seconds is more offensive that biting your opponent on the ice during an NHL hockey game. WTF is that? Is our society so far out of whack that we are to be more offended by some one's crude statements about a former girl friend than biting someone on the ice? I think it's time to remove Colin Campbell and Gary Bettman from the league office because they have their priorities out of whack. We have Randy Jones putting Bruins star Patrice Bergeron out for the Season he get 2 games. That's it. What the hell is wrong with the league office?

Then Marko Ruutu lies about it on camera they should suspend him more games for lacking integrity. Marko Ruutu is a gutless thug that goes around the ice taking liberties with the opposition team's skilled players. Some day he is going to get his and I can't wait for the replay between Buffalo and Ottawa. This why I don't shed a tear when I see these agitators get beat up in a fight on the ice.

(Press Release from the NHL):
Ottawa's Ruutu suspended two games Wednesday, Ottawa's Jarkko Ruutu has been suspended for two games by the NHL for a biting incident that occurred in Tuesday night's loss to Buffalo.

Ruutu was suspended after a Wednesday morning's disciplinary hearing with NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell, a phone conversation between the two parties that began at 11:30 a.m.

In Tuesday's incident, Ruutu bit the gloved thumb of Buffalo's Andrew Peters, breaking the skin's surface, during a first-period altercation at the 13:13 mark.