One of them will be standing behind the visitors' bench tonight in Nationwide Arena.

Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock played a role in making Commodore a better defenseman. But as appreciation rates go, Commodore's is about on par with Enron stock.

"Mike Babcock was without a doubt an obstacle in my career," said Commodore of the coach who traded him from Anaheim to Calgary in 2003.

"I wanted to prove him wrong, I'm not going to lie. I used him as big-time motivation. I thought he put his best foot forward to bury me."

Commodore's perceived injustice -- the kind that can be found in almost every NHL locker room -- adds intrigue to the Blue Jackets-Red Wings rivalry. The outspoken defenseman now gets to face his former coach six times a season.

In one breath, Commodore says "it's water under the bridge," and in the next concedes, "I still get fired up talking about it."

Commodore's story is a familiar one to many players and a hazy one to many coaches who make judgments on countless prospects in their organizations.

Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said he has had about 20 players over the years tell him that decisions he made were used as future incentive.

Babcock had no idea he was such a motivational tool for Commodore.

"The only thing I ever questioned about Mike was his conditioning," Babcock said. "In my mind, Mike always has been a quality guy. When he came up, I didn't think he was in condition. That's it."

Babcock was a rookie NHL coach during the 2002-03 season and Commodore had just arrived via a trade from New Jersey. Commodore, who had played 57 NHL games for the Devils, said Babcock screamed at him during a drill on the first day of training camp. Commodore later watched as a player fresh from junior hockey, Kurt Sauer, got promoted ahead of him.

"It didn't take long before I knew I had a one-way ticket to (minor-league affiliate) Cincinnati," Commodore said.

He admits he took a poor attitude to the minors, where he spent three or four nights a week drinking. The Ducks recalled Commodore twice, but he never played in a game.

The defenseman says Babcock ripped him in the media, although he can't recall the particulars.

"It was something to the effect that I had no business in the league," Commodore said. "My (father) is still mad about it."

Babcock traded Commodore to Calgary in a deal that brought forward Rob Niedermayer to Anaheim. The then-Mighty Ducks reached the Stanley Cup Finals that year, losing to New Jersey in seven games.

"That was tough for me to take," Commodore said, laughing. "Both teams had traded me. I didn't watch much of those Finals."

Commodore says Babcock's comments about his midseason conditioning had validity. He arrived at camp the next season in excellent shape and helped the Flames reach the Cup Finals in 2004. He won the title with Carolina in 2006.

One of the first people Commodore thought about when lifting the Cup was Babcock.

"Over the years, guys remember certain things about coaches, and that's fine," Babcock said. "Mike always has had a great attitude and an infectious personality."

Commodore has run into Babcock at several golf outings, but never mentioned his gripe. Their career paths have followed a similar trajectory, each making it twice to the Cup Finals.

"He has done very well for himself," Commodore said of Babcock, who won the Cup with Detroit last year. "You can't deny he has had a good career."

In 1986, Hitchcock was coaching junior hockey and traded away five players to get future NHL star Mark Recchi. In the first game against his former players, two of them tossed pucks at Hitchcock on the bench after scoring goals.

Commodore won't be tossing pucks tonight. And probably not any thank yous.

treed@dispatch.com