Mike Comrie

1.1. Birth and Family Background

Michael William Comrie was born on September 11, 1980, in Edmonton, Alberta. His family has a notable entrepreneurial background; his father, Bill Comrie, and his uncles, Fred and John, are the founders of The Brick furniture company, which was sold in 2012 for 700.00 M USD. Tragically, Comrie's mother, Theresa, passed away from cancer in 1990. He has two older siblings: a sister, Cathy, and a brother, Paul Comrie, who also played professional hockey, briefly with the Edmonton Oilers, before Mike was drafted by the team. The hockey tradition continued in the family with Mike's two younger half-brothers from his father's second marriage: Eric Comrie, a goaltender who was selected by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, and Ty Comrie, who plays center.

1.2. Education and Amateur Career

As a youth, Mike Comrie participated in the 1993 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament as a member of a minor ice hockey team from the Whitemud region of Edmonton. He was drafted by his hometown Edmonton Oilers in the third round, ninety-first overall, in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. At the time of his draft, he was playing for the University of Michigan. He later transitioned to the Canadian Western Hockey League (WHL), playing 37 games before being called up to the Edmonton Oilers.

2.1. Edmonton Oilers (First Stint)

Comrie commenced his professional career with the Edmonton Oilers during the 2000-01 NHL season. He left the WHL's Kootenay Ice midway through that season to sign an incentive-laden, three-year contract with the Oilers, valued at 10.00 M USD. This contract, structured to include all achievable bonuses, significantly exceeded the standard league maximum base salary for 2001 draftees, which was 1.13 M USD per year. Comrie was able to sign with any team as a free agent due to a loophole related to playing a year of major junior hockey as an overage player after leaving college, although entry-level salary restrictions still applied. Upon joining the Oilers, Comrie quickly became a fan favorite and a hometown hero in Edmonton. He proved to be an immediate offensive threat, recording a combined total of 133 points (61 goals, 72 assists) in 192 games from 2001 to 2003.

2.2. Philadelphia Flyers and Phoenix Coyotes

Comrie's initial tenure with the Oilers came to an end after a contract dispute during the 2003-04 NHL season. Following a lackluster training camp and holding out for over 30 games due to the dispute, his status as a local hero in Edmonton began to diminish. The Oilers' then-General Manager, Kevin Lowe, reportedly explored a trade to the Anaheim Ducks that would have involved sending Comrie for Corey Perry and a first-round draft pick, but this deal also required Comrie to reimburse the Oilers 2.50 M USD of his bonus money. When this arrangement fell through, Comrie was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in December 2003, in exchange for Jeff Woywitka, a 2004 first-round selection (which became Rob Schremp), and a 2005 third-round selection (which became Danny Syvret).

Comrie's time with the Flyers was brief, lasting only 21 games, before he was traded again to the Phoenix Coyotes. This trade involved the Flyers receiving Sean Burke, Branko Radivojevic, and the rights to Ben Eager. During the 2004-05 NHL lockout, Comrie signed with Färjestad BK in the Elitserien, where he played ten games before leaving in December 2004. With the resolution of the lockout, he returned to the Coyotes for the 2005-06 NHL season, achieving his second 30-goal season in the NHL. On August 4, 2006, the Coyotes re-signed Comrie to a new one-year contract worth 3.00 M USD. On January 3, 2007, Comrie was traded from the Coyotes to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Senators prospect Alexei Kaigorodov.

2.3. Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders

Mike Comrie scored his first goal for the Ottawa Senators against the Boston Bruins on January 9, 2007, at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Ontario. His goal song at Scotiabank Place was "Black Gloves" by the Belgian band Goose. Despite playing with an injured shoulder that necessitated local anesthetic to manage the pain, Comrie contributed significantly to the Senators' playoff run, which saw them eliminate the Pittsburgh Penguins, New Jersey Devils, and Buffalo Sabres, each in five games. The Senators ultimately advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost to the Anaheim Ducks in a 4-1 series decision.

On July 5, 2007, Comrie became an unrestricted free agent and signed a one-year contract valued at 3.38 M USD with the New York Islanders. Before the trade deadline on February 26, 2008, the Islanders re-signed him to another one-year contract, this time worth 4.00 M USD. However, his second stint with the Islanders was also short-lived, as he was traded back to the Senators on February 20, 2009, along with Chris Campoli, in exchange for Dean McAmmond and a San Jose Sharks 2009 first-round draft pick.

2.4. Return to the Oilers

On September 10, 2009, Mike Comrie signed a one-year contract worth 1.13 M USD to return to the Edmonton Oilers, the team where he started his NHL career, after a six-year absence. For his second tenure with the Oilers during the 2009-10 NHL season, Comrie chose to wear jersey number 91, which was his overall draft selection number, as his familiar number 89 from his first stint had been taken by Sam Gagner.

Comrie's return to Edmonton was particularly memorable. In a pre-season game against the Florida Panthers on September 18, 2009, which the Oilers won 4-0, Comrie recorded assists on all four goals and engaged in a fight with the Panthers' Eric Himelfarb. This performance earned him a standing ovation from the crowd at Rexall Place, who enthusiastically chanted his name as he entered the penalty box. On November 17, Comrie was placed on the NHL long-term injury reserve list due to mononucleosis, with an expected return in late January. At that point, he had accumulated 5 goals and 8 points in 16 games. He made his return to the Oilers' lineup on February 1, 2010, recording an assist in a 4-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. He concluded the season with 13 goals and 21 points in 43 games. On July 1, 2010, Comrie became an unrestricted free agent, as the Oilers chose not to re-sign him for the upcoming 2010-11 season.

2.5. Pittsburgh Penguins and Retirement

On September 3, 2010, Mike Comrie signed a one-year contract worth 500.00 K USD with the Pittsburgh Penguins, joining the franchise that had drafted his uncle Fred in 1973. On September 22, 2010, Comrie made history by scoring the very first goal inside the newly opened Consol Energy Center, just 81 seconds into the Penguins' 5-1 exhibition game victory over the Detroit Red Wings.

Throughout much of the regular season, Comrie was sidelined due to a persistent hip injury. He managed to score his first regular-season goal as a Penguin in their 82nd and final game of the season, on an empty net against the Atlanta Thrashers. This goal was also the last ever scored at the Thrashers' home Philips Arena before the team relocated to Winnipeg and became the Winnipeg Jets in the off-season. After undergoing hip surgery for the third time, Mike Comrie announced his retirement from professional hockey on February 13, 2012, concluding his career.

6.1. Positive Impact and Contributions

As a player, Mike Comrie was recognized for his offensive capabilities, particularly his scoring touch and playmaking abilities. During his first stint with the Edmonton Oilers, he quickly became a beloved figure among fans, seen as a "hometown hero" due to his local roots and impactful on-ice performance, including tallying 133 points in 192 games from 2001 to 2003. He demonstrated his scoring prowess with the Phoenix Coyotes, where he recorded his second 30-goal season in the NHL. His contributions extended to international play, highlighted by winning a gold medal with Canada at the 2003 IIHF World Championship. Even in his final pre-season appearance for the Oilers during his return, he earned a standing ovation after a four-assist, one-fight performance, underscoring his enduring connection with the fanbase.

6.2. Controversies and Criticisms

A notable controversy in Mike Comrie's professional career involved a contract dispute during the 2003-04 NHL season with the Edmonton Oilers. This dispute led to him holding out for more than 30 games into the season, significantly straining his relationship with the team and local fans, where his status as a hometown hero "started to change dramatically." The Oilers' General Manager, Kevin Lowe, even sought to have Comrie reimburse the team 2.50 M USD in bonus money as part of a proposed trade, which further complicated the situation and eventually led to his trade from Edmonton. Throughout his career, Comrie also faced significant challenges with persistent hip injuries, which frequently sidelined him and ultimately forced his retirement from the sport after multiple surgeries.

7.1. Regular season and playoffs

7.2. International