Mike Commodore is slated to miss a week with a lower-body injury. He did not take part in Thursday's practice. Detroit bench boss Mike Babcock said Commodore's ailment is not groin-related.

Mike Commodore doesn't feel that Columbus sending him to the minors last season was the result of something he did wrong. Commodore thought he had a good camp and played well when he returned from an early season thumb injury. "My only kind of stat that didn't look very good was being minus-8 in 20 games, but you can take a look at those games and count the plus-minuses up - the guys up in the press box made some mistakes," Commodore said. "I was probably about minus-2, which was about even with the rest of the team. Whatever. I could go on. Last year wasn't a very good year, and it really, to be honest, was none of my doing. Time to move on." Commodore spent several games in the press box in late December and early January before he reportedly requested a trade. However, no one was interested in his contract, even when he was put on waivers and later re-entry waivers. He played in 11 AHL contests before he was bought out. Detroit signed Commodore to a one-year/$1 million deal, which will give him the opportunity to prove that he can still play at the NHL level.

Mike Commodore and Detroit coach Mike Babcock have a rocky history, but both sides said that shouldn't be a problem this season. Commodore criticized Babcock when the two of them represented Anaheim's farm system a decade ago. However, this campaign is a second chance opportunity for the 31-year-old blueliner after he was bought out by the Columbus Blue Jackets this summer. He agreed to terms with the Red Wings on a one-year contract worth $1 million and will have to prove himself after a couple of forgettable years in Columbus.

Mike Commodore has signed a one-year/$1 million deal with the Detroit Red Wings. Commodore was bought out earlier in the day by the Columbus Blue Jackets. He struggled last season and was placed in the AHL by the Blue Jackets. His best year was in 2008-09 when he had five goals and 24 points to go with 100 penalty minutes and a plus-11 rating. Do not expect anything close to that in Detroit next season except for the plus/minus.

Mike Commodore, who will be bought out of the remaining two seasons of his contract once he passes through waivers on Friday, will be sad to leave Columbus. The classy Commodore had lots to say about the organization and city of Columbus. "I'd like to thank (general manager) Scott Howson for making the right decision," Commodore said. "If he doesn't buy me out it's a lose-lose situation. Neither one of us is happy. They're stuck with a player they don't want and I'm stuck in a spot where I can't play in the NHL. It was time to move on. I'd also like to thank the people of Columbus, the fans of the Blue Jackets. I enjoyed my time in that city. It's a great city; lots to do. I lived in the Short North area and absolutely love it. In those respects, it's going to be tough to leave." The Blue Jackets will pay Commodore $1,141,667 in each of the next four seasons if he passes through waivers and he will look for a new NHL team in the summer.

If Mike Commodore clears waivers on Friday then Columbus will buy out the final two years of his contract. The Blue Jackets will pay Commodore $1,141,667 in each of the next four seasons should he be bought out and that appears to be the most likely scenario at this time. We'll keep you posted.

The Columbus Dispatch is reporting that the Blue Jackets will place defenseman Mike Commodore on waivers Thursday for the purpose of buying out the last two years of his contract. Of course, Columbus would be thrilled if another NHL team picked up the defenseman and save the Blue Jackets money, but that is unlikely at this time. Commodore spent part of last season in the minors as the Blue Jackets wanted to go with younger defensemen. He asked the Blue Jackets for a trade but Columbus was unable to accomodate him. Commodore is due $3.5 million in 2011-12 and $3.35 million in the final year of his contract but his cap hit at this time is only $1.895 million.