After covering Bret Hedican last article, we continue with the defense from the 2006 Stanley Cup winning Carolina Hurricanes team. Next up on my, “Where are they now?” list is… The Man. The Myth. The Robe. Mike Commodore.
As I have written and researched the 2006 Carolina Hurricanes roster and where life took them after their time in Raleigh, I have probably been looking forward to Mike Commodore more than anyone else. It wasn’t because he stuck out with his play. It was the robe and red afro. THE robe and red afro. If you followed the Canes in 2006, you know exactly what I’m talking about. I digress.
Drafted in the 2nd round at #42 overall by the New Jersey Devils in 1999, Commodore bounced around the league, alternating almost every season between the NHL and AHL before being traded to Carolina in exchange for a third round pick. While his numbers on paper didn’t exactly stand out in the points column, one set of numbers did; Penalty infraction minutes.
Commodore led the Hurricanes in 2006 in PIM with an eye-widening 138, then led again the following season with 113. For what our robed hero lacked in point-scoring, he made up for with his fists. In the 3 years Commodore wore a Canes sweater, he was involved in 21 fights.
After three seasons of swinging haymakers and producing minimal points, Commodore was traded along with Cory Stillman to Ottawa in exchange for Patrick Eaves (Did you forget he played for Carolina once?) and Joe Corvo. After playing one season in Ottawa, he was then traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets where he suited up for three seasons before being traded yet again.
So what is ole Mikey up to these days you may ask? Well, allow me to introduce you to Commodore’s newfound hobbies; Driving for Uber, playing golf and trolling Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock on Twitter. Apparently, Commodore accuses him of intentionally refusing to give him ice time during his short stint in Toronto in 2012 where he played 30 games and registered two assists. The Twitter feud has continued for almost 4 years
So back to that robe. Where did it come from? Why did he wear it and why the hell was it so iconic? After digging into the history of the luxury bathware, I have found the initial origins. Around Christmas of 2005, a shopping catalog was given to Carolina Hurricanes employees and players. Commodore ordered the robe which came embroidered with the Hurricanes logo.
While wearing it around the locker room, Hurricanes legend Glen Wesley (More on him later in the series) suggested he get his number sewn on, which happened almost instantly. Word on the street is whenever he was not wearing his gear, the robe was on. While the robe can still sometimes be seen in the stands on gameday in Carolina, it has unfortunately lost it’s significance but only to the most diehard of fans.
While Mike Commodore’s number may not hang in the rafters of PNC Arena, his legendary wardrobe and huge red afro will live on in the hearts of the Caniac faithful forever.
CC Readers Question: What do you remember most about Mike Commodore?