It’s probably one of the most misunderstood photos in hockey, but when many people think of Mike Commodore, that image of him laying in bed wearing undies surrounded by money is the first thing they think of.
One thing that extends that photographic punchline is the fact that the Columbus Blue Jackets awarded him a swollen five year, $18.75 million contract in the summer of 2008. His salary from season to season varies, but his $3.75 million annual cap hit only seems to vary from “overpriced” to “embarrassing.”
Commodore’s play has been a bit lacking lately so the Blue Jackets started scaling back his minutes. The man with a ginger afro asked for a trade this week, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the team decided to place him on waivers today, according to the Columbus Post-Dispatch.
As usual, there are a few possibilities for this situation.
Clubs have until noon Friday to claim Commodore, who’s signed through the 2012-13 season with a salary cap hit of $3.75million. It’s unlikely any club will bid on Commodore due to his big contract and his on-ice struggles.
Coach Scott Arniel has made Commodore a healthy scratch in seven of the past eight games.
Commodore remains with club and is expected to practice with the Jackets this morning. It will be interesting to see the Jackets’ next move. Will he stay with the club? Will he be sent back to Columbus while the Jackets play two games in Anaheim and Los Angeles? Will the Jackets sent him to minor-league Springfield and recall another defenseman?
Would another team be willing to claim Commodore on re-entry waivers at half price?
Half price for Commodore would be $1.875 million. A team that claimed him on re-entry waivers would be responsible for that amount through the 2012-13 season, making his deal even more challenging to digest.
Considering the struggles faced by Commodore, Wade Redden, Cristobal Huet and other overpriced players, it seems like the cliche “you get what you paid for” meets another cliche: “be careful what you wish for.” Signing that big free agent deal might be great for your bank account, but if a player cannot justify that salary, it’s possible they might find themselves in limbo. We’ll keep you informed about Commodore’s situation as it develops.
