On the heels of last night’s loss, the news has broken that Mike Commodore, scratched for the last 7 games, has requested a trade from Columbus GM Scott Howson.
To his credit, Commodore appears to be handling things very maturely, going by his comments to the Dispatch, and it’s hard to blame him for being frustrated with his situation.
The question is, where can Howson go? Commodore’s 3.75 million dollar contract is a big chunk of change to swing, and it’s not like Commodore has had a chance to showcase himself for a potential trade partner. Even if Howson found a partner with a team looking to stay above the cap floor, like the New York Islanders or Atlanta Thrashers, what would they be willing to return?
You almost wonder if Howson cannot find a trade partner, would he be willing to waive Commodore down to Springfield and bring up another player like Moore, Holden, or Savard to fill his slot and avoid problems in the locker room? It would get him out of town, relieve some tension in the room, and give the kids a chance to skate…and at worst, if Commodore does play well in Springfield, perhaps he’d open a few eyes to a deal?
The absolute worst case might end with Commodore being waived and then bought out in the offseason, but here’s hoping Howson can find some value that would present a better solution to the club.