Lightning Acquire Mike Commodore from Red Wings

The Tampa Bay Lightning have announced that they have acquired defenseman Mike Commodore from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a conditional seventh round pick in the 2013 Entry Draft. He will be eligible for unrestricted free agency this summer. In 17 games so far this season, he has two assists. For the Red Wings, Commodore wasn't used very much throughout the season and were likely looking to dump a little bit of salary. It's quite possible this move could be the precursor to Detroit making another trade by the 3 PM deadline. As for Tampa Bay, Commodore will fill in a defensive role for the team for the remainder of the season and likely won't figure into their future plans. Bottom line, the Lightning are helping the Red Wings shed some salary.

Red Wings Sign Mike Commodore to One-Year Contract

The Detroit Red Wings have announced that they have signed defenseman Mike Commodore to a one-year contract worth $1 million. He became an unrestricted free agent on July 1 after the Columbus Blue Jackets bought out the final two years of his contract. In 20 games last season with the Blue Jackets, he had two goals and four assists for six points. He also appeared in 11 games with Springfield of the AHL, scoring two assists. Not a bad depth signing for the Red Wings, as Commodore will add plenty of veteran depth to the blueline. He has good size, plays with lots of grit, and has a little offensive ability. He should be good as a top-four defenseman in Detroit next season.