News Article: Mike Commodore on his tenure with the Wings

[NyquistIsMyGod*]

That is a crazy story. I believe it, but jeez, Babcock is a ****** bag.

Good job by Holland to try and help him out.

The Blue Jackets comment has got to hindle some part of the truth here. That comment was absolutely stupid. I'm guessing Commodore may have had a problem with partying or something, but he wasn't dealt for being single and having money. Dealt I mean sent down.

Do I believe parts of this? Possibly. I don't think Babs wanted him to simply waste cap and bury him in the minors though. Commodore just wasn't that good. He was a #6 at the end of his career. He was past his peak, and dealt with too many injuries. I'm not trying to be a dick here, but that's the way it looked. Playing a kid in, who has a similar skill level was the better move.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

The Blue Jackets comment has got to hindle some part of the truth here. That comment was absolutely stupid. I'm guessing Commodore may have had a problem with partying or something, but he wasn't dealt for being single and having money. Dealt I mean sent down.

Do I believe parts of this? Possibly. I don't think Babs wanted him to simply waste cap and bury him in the minors though. Commodore just wasn't that good. He was a #6 at the end of his career. He was past his peak, and dealt with too many injuries. I'm not trying to be a dick here, but that's the way it looked. Playing a kid in, who has a similar skill level was the better move.

I don't disagree in regards to playing the kids over Commie, but I got the vibe that Babs never wanted him and just wanted to troll him. He should have trusted his gut and gone somewhere else.

 

[NyquistIsMyGod*]

I don't disagree in regards to playing the kids over Commie, but I got the vibe that Babs never wanted him and just wanted to troll him.

Mike Babcock may come off as an arrogant jerk but I don't think it's at the point where he'd give this guy $1,000,000 to **** around with him, and have him in the minors. I think he may cross a line at times, make stupid decisions, disrespect some veterans (Ian White for example) but this seems too far fetched for me.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Agree and disagree.

Jiri Hudler was super gritty his last year, but overall, not with Tatar.
Tatar is faster, and can control the puck. Hudler could not.
Tatar crashes the net, and has hands.
Hudler has a better shot, but refused to shoot it. He passed too much.
Tatar can run a line offensively. Hudler cannot.

Tatar's upside is higher too.

Hudler has insane offensive ability, just not the raw tools to do it. But he has fabulous on ice vision and offensive hockey IQ. Hudler runs his line just fine in Calgary, helping Monohan to an impressive start and a good year last year.

Tatar is a fan friendly version, he skates, he hits and he plays really hard, lots of what caused people to get really sick of Hudler was in these areas. But Hudler can and often does run his line, his last year in the AHL he put up almost as many points as Hudler did his last two seasons combined.

Hudler needed to go, but they are undersized offensive talents, with great hands and likely the same kind of fit, 1st line bad team, 2nd line pretty good team, 3rd line title contending juggernaut team.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Mike Babcock may come off as an arrogant jerk but I don't think it's at the point where he'd give this guy $1,000,000 to **** around with him, and have him in the minors. I think he may cross a line at times, make stupid decisions, disrespect some veterans (Ian White for example) but this seems too far fetched for me.

I think Babs was probably willing to see what had changed, the guy that left Anaheim went on to do things pretty successfully and played Babcock's brand of hockey. But my guess is they had friction quickly, he and Kindl have always had an unusual relationship that I wondered how it would play out if they finally got separated.

At the end of the day this doesn't give Commodore anything, maybe personal piece of mind so it is probably worth it. But find it interesting Filppula has taken the high road at least in terms of press even if grumblings are he wanted nothing to do with Babcock.

I don't see what Commodore has to gain from this and as a guy that has complained whenever things haven't worked out it doesn't carry a whole heck of a lot of weight. Babcock authorized the signing, I think he was willing to give him a shot.

But this does speak to another problem. Holland goes out and gets him his kind of players, these big bangers that want to dump and chase play a certain way and then he doesn't use him. In each case we hear that Babcock wants this guy, he said he wanted him. Well maybe if he really didn't want Tootoo or Commodore he should have just said it from the beginning.

 

[HIFE]

Not sure why the article was titled as such. To turn a simple interview into a sensationalist piece? Babcock banished Commodore to the KHL? Silliness.

I'm surprised Commodore would be so frank with his opinions-I mean he's only on the other side of the world, not another planet. There will be some form of backlash for talking the way he is. Does he honestly believe he was evacuated from Columbus and Detroit because of jealousy and hatred alone? So then what happened in Tampa Bay after all that? He seems paranoid, and very dumb to express such thoughts to a journalist. Friends and family, yes, but not the public media.

I still enjoyed most of the interview though. Interesting thoughts about playing in different leagues and their comparison. From the video Commie looks to be in pretty good shape this season.

 

[odin1981]

No backlash at all hockeyisforeveryone. He admitted his nhl days are done. He knows he will never get back to the nhl. So he probably figures **** burning bridges cause there are non left for me to cross so he figured he would get his side of the story out.

He will more than likely play in the khl/sel/ahl for the rest of his playing days.

 

[StevieWonder]

Mike Babcock may come off as an arrogant jerk but I don't think it's at the point where he'd give this guy $1,000,000 to **** around with him, and have him in the minors. I think he may cross a line at times, make stupid decisions, disrespect some veterans (Ian White for example) but this seems too far fetched for me.

I don't sense any bit of arrogance from Babcock. To me, he seems like a humble, no-nonsense guy who is constantly thinking about how to get better. Exactly what you want out of a head coach, imo. This is a good video of him speaking a couple years ago. It certainly made me like him even more. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-_KO2H0D7Q

Also, how did he disrespect Ian White?

 

[TKB]

No backlash at all hockeyisforeveryone. He admitted his nhl days are done. He knows he will never get back to the nhl. So he probably figures **** burning bridges cause there are non left for me to cross so he figured he would get his side of the story out.

He will more than likely play in the khl/sel/ahl for the rest of his playing days.

Unless of course Scott Arniel takes a coaching gig in the KHL. In which case @commie22 better take a Russian bride.

 

[NyquistIsMyGod*]

I don't sense any bit of arrogance from Babcock. To me, he seems like a humble, no-nonsense guy who is constantly thinking about how to get better. Exactly what you want out of a head coach, imo. This is a good video of him speaking a couple years ago. It certainly made me like him even more. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-_KO2H0D7Q

Also, how did he disrespect Ian White?

I don't know personally, but I was saying it's problem the case with his style. I really like Babcock. You just hear these rumors, and silly talks, like the Jeremy Roenick thing about Chris Chelios. I think Babcock was very frank, and honest with Commodore.

Ian White was the third best defenseman last season on the roster. White was scratched over Smith, Quincey, Lashoff, and Colaviaco. It was obvious that he wasn't returning, but come on. That's a slap in the face when everyone goes down and he's still not getting into the line-up.

 

[Vladdy84]

I don't know personally, but I was saying it's problem the case with his style. I really like Babcock. You just hear these rumors, and silly talks, like the Jeremy Roenick thing about Chris Chelios. I think Babcock was very frank, and honest with Commodore.

Ian White was the third best defenseman last season on the roster. White was scratched over Smith, Quincey, Lashoff, and Colaviaco. It was obvious that he wasn't returning, but come on. That's a slap in the face when everyone goes down and he's still not getting into the line-up.

I don't know about that. As soon as St. Nick wasn't playing with him it was pretty evident that he was nothing but a 3rd pairing D that could be a 2nd unit PP D IMO.

 

[NyquistIsMyGod*]

I don't know about that. As soon as St. Nick wasn't playing with him it was pretty evident that he was nothing but a 3rd pairing D that could be a 2nd unit PP D IMO.

Ian White did not look nearly as good, but I thought he quite easily outplayed Jakub Kindl, Brendan Smith, and so on during the regular season. You think all of the rotation guys should have got in before him? I get that we weren't supossed to do much, he was the odd man out, but he was a healthy scratch for far too long.

Even today I'd rather have Ian White on a powerplay than Jakub Kindl.

 

[StevieWonder]

I don't know personally, but I was saying it's problem the case with his style. I really like Babcock. You just hear these rumors, and silly talks, like the Jeremy Roenick thing about Chris Chelios. I think Babcock was very frank, and honest with Commodore.

Ian White was the third best defenseman last season on the roster. White was scratched over Smith, Quincey, Lashoff, and Colaviaco. It was obvious that he wasn't returning, but come on. That's a slap in the face when everyone goes down and he's still not getting into the line-up.

I can see where you're coming from, but I'm not so sure he was our 3rd best Dman. I think Babs was clearly onto something seeing is how 29 other teams have yet to take a flyer on White. I'm sure White is not the biggest Babcock fan, but I think Bab's decision to not play him was, in his mind, 100% for the betterment of the Red Wings. Right or wrong, I like that approach.

 

[JPE123]

The Columbus story makes the whole thing suspect in my mind.Hard time believing a coach gets rid of you cuz your single and he's jealous? WTF A lot of young guys are single. I imagine there's a whole lot more to that story

 

[NyquistIsMyGod*]

I can see where you're coming from, but I'm not so sure he was our 3rd best Dman. I think Babs was clearly onto something seeing is how 29 other teams have yet to take a flyer on White. I'm sure White is not the biggest Babcock fan, but I think Bab's decision to not play him was, in his mind, 100% for the betterment of the Red Wings. Right or wrong, I like that approach.

Or because he's single and rich.

 

[StevieWonder]

Or because he's single and rich.

I think you're onto something here.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

I don't find any of that stuff that surprising but you also can't take it as gospel either.

Sports leagues and the people in them tend to be pretty "clean" in their public utterances but internally it's the same as it is everywhere, people complain, people get mistreated, people claim they get mistreated, people don't like this or that guy and will talk smack, sometimes it's true, sometimes it's a lie, other times it's just an opinion.

The Columbus thing, that's what Mike Commodore took from it. I doubt the coach said "you're single and make loads of dough and I am jealous since I have a boring home life and don't make as much money". The coach would probably have some choice words for Commodore too.

Maybe Commodore's interpretation has some truth to it, but maybe Commodore's problem is also that he isn't entirely professional but fails to realize that this is a common impression and thus his mind needs alternative explanations as to why he didn't get 600+ games and why a coach like Babcock may want to bury him. Maybe there's a bit of column A and a bit of column B.

Babcock may respond saying "I thought he had changed but he hadn't, still immature, still easily distracted, still incapable of living the sort of lifestyle required to have a long career" but he wouldn't because you don't speak that openly in public as long as you are "inside". Commodore is in exile and he will never again play in the NHL or a NHL affiliate, he's got little to lose and given his apparent personality it's not that shocking he'd run his mouth.

 

[HIFE]

No backlash at all hockeyisforeveryone. He admitted his nhl days are done. He knows he will never get back to the nhl. So he probably figures **** burning bridges cause there are non left for me to cross so he figured he would get his side of the story out.

He will more than likely play in the khl/sel/ahl for the rest of his playing days.

Yea I was thinking more on the personal level, whether socializing or involved in Canadian hockey in the future.

But now reading MC is from Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, I bet he isn't worried about it. That is a loong way from Ontario. I didn't know before, there have only been 5 players from FS to make the NHL. Ray Whitney and Joffrey Lupul are 2 others.

 

[Frk It]

What's interesting is how many passes that Babcock has given Brendan Smith. Comments about how he cannot judge him because he's young and things like that. I was baffled.

He's being developed the right way, in my opinion. I mean just look at the examples with the defenseman we have.

Ericsson was allowed to play through all his mistakes and learn (which he made A LOT of). Look at how he turned out.

Then you have Kindl who was literally benched every time he made a mistake. We see how he turned out.

So I like the way Babs is handling Smith. Honestly often it takes a while for defenseman to "get it" and turn the corner. Ericsson was a whipping boy for awhile with his bone-headed gaffes, and now he's a minute-eating super-steady guy.

 

[TKB]

I don't know personally, but I was saying it's problem the case with his style. I really like Babcock. You just hear these rumors, and silly talks, like the Jeremy Roenick thing about Chris Chelios. I think Babcock was very frank, and honest with Commodore.

Ian White was the third best defenseman last season on the roster. White was scratched over Smith, Quincey, Lashoff, and Colaviaco. It was obvious that he wasn't returning, but come on. That's a slap in the face when everyone goes down and he's still not getting into the line-up.

IMO it is fair to speculate that the benching of White was due to an attitude issue. He has a less than stellar reputation for his "intangibles", never been in one place for long, made a comment to the press in Detroit ( I think in Toronto as well) about being scratched, and last summer could only muster a PTO (I think from the Jets) who subsequently said no thanks.

 

[Big Poppa Puck]

I'm sure there's some truth to this, but it's also probably a little exaggerated too.

Good for Kenny for trading him. I wonder why he didn't do the same for Ian White last year when he was like 9th on the depth chart?

 

[odin1981]

I'm sure there's some truth to this, but it's also probably a little exaggerated too.

Good for Kenny for trading him. I wonder why he didn't do the same for Ian White last year when he was like 9th on the depth chart?

Probably because he broke the unwritten drw rule of not complaining in public about the organization. No respect no favor type deal.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

I don't sense any bit of arrogance from Babcock. To me, he seems like a humble, no-nonsense guy who is constantly thinking about how to get better. Exactly what you want out of a head coach, imo. This is a good video of him speaking a couple years ago. It certainly made me like him even more. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-_KO2H0D7Q

Also, how did he disrespect Ian White?

If anything, I think Babcock has a real distaste for guys he thinks aren't professional enough or hardworking enough. He's the sort of guy who has a mancrush on you or just won't use you.

Commodore and White both came to Detroit with chips on their shoulders, and I think Babcock won't tolerate that kind of baggage. If he doubts for a second that you aren't a workhorse, he won't use you at all. and so he did that with those guys.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

The Columbus story makes the whole thing suspect in my mind.Hard time believing a coach gets rid of you cuz your single and he's jealous? WTF A lot of young guys are single. I imagine there's a whole lot more to that story

What it sounds like to me is it was about lifestyle. It was probably something closer to: yeah, you're single and rich and have this fun lifestyle, but you have to tone it down and focus on the team and the game. We have to give 100%. All of us. So that might mean giving up some of that lifestyle to hunker down and focus.

and Commodore is pulling the "oh, you're just jealous" move instead. I could completely see that. Kids today would instead say "you're just a hater. You hate my success." Same attitude.

 

[sepster]

Not sure why Commodore came here, he should have trusted his gut.

Babcock has his guys that he loves (Dan Cleary) and he has his guys that he hates (Shanahan, Hudler, Smith) and he has his guys that, no matter what he thinks of them, he has to use (Yzerman, Z, Pav).

I don't think it's much of a secret that the old guard (Hull and Shanahan leaving, Yzerman retiring) left town because of Babcock. Also, I know Zetterberg told Holland at his season end player interview, after the end of the '11-'12 season, that if Babcock was going to return as coach that he would prefer to be traded. Holland made the move to hire Tom Renney and the plan was that, if the Wings got off to a slow start, Babcock was out and Renney was in. The lockout happened, time was of the essence and the Wings stuck with Babcock. Then they over-achieved in the playoffs, which has bought some more time. Zetterberg was named Captain which, also, helped to get him back with the plan. Time will tell how long the current situation lasts.