This article relies on references to primary sources or sources affiliated with the subject, rather than references from independent authors and third-party publications. Please add citations from reliable sources. (January 2008)

OK! is a British weekly magazine specializing in celebrity news. Originally launched as a monthly, its first issue was published in April 1993. In September 2004, OK! publishers Northern and Shell launched in Australia as a monthly title – the magazine went weekly in October 2006. In 2005, a US version was launched, followed by an Indian edition in May 2006, a Spanish-language version in Mexico in 2006, a Bulgarian-language version in 2007 and a Spanish edition in 2008. OK! is the world’s biggest celebrity lifestyle magazine, with more than 30 million readers worldwide, and now appears in 20 countries (Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, China, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Malaysia, Mexico, Middle East, the Philippines, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, the UK, the US, Venezuela and Vietnam).

Weddings[link]

OK! is best known for its coverage of celebrity nuptials. OK! was awarded £1,033,156 in a lawsuit, but lost it when the case came to the court of appeal.^[1] OK! had exclusive rights to the wedding of Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas, but its rival Hello! magazine, published pictures as well, so OK! sued.

In October 2005, three celebrity weddings took place on the same day - Katie Price and Peter Andre, Kate Garraway and Derek Draper, and Samia Ghadie and property developer Matthew Smith. OK! covered them all over separate issues. The biggest wedding of the three (Jordan and Peter) was covered over two bumper issues.

The same happened for the wedding of Ashley and Cheryl Cole as well as Christina Aguilera's wedding. OK! devoted an issue with photos of Tony Parker and Eva Longoria's wedding.

Other weddings covered by OK! are:

• Natasha Hamilton and Riad Erraji (November 2007)
• Kerry Katona and Mark Croft (February 2007)
• Holly Willoughby and Dan Baldwin (August 2007)
• Steven Gerrard and Alex Curran (June 2007)
• John Terry and Toni Poole (June 2007)
• Kym Marsh and Jack Ryder (August 2002)
• Melanie Brown and Jimmy Gulzar (September 1998)
• Wayne Rooney and Coleen McLoughlin (June 2008)
• Jack Tweed and Jade Goody (February 2009)
• Patsy Kensit and Jeremy Healy (April 2009)
• Kian Egan and Jodi Albert (May 2009)
• Samantha Janus and Mark Womack (May 2009)
• Hilary Duff and Mike Comrie (August 2010)
• Prince William and Kate Middleton (April 2011)

Controversies[link]

Prior to Jade Goody's cancer-related death in March 2009, OK! sparked controversy by publishing an 'Official Tribute Issue' with the front-page captions 'In Loving Memory' and '1981-2009', even though Goody was still alive at the time of going to press.^[2]

Several months later in June 2009, OK! again caused outrage by running another tribute issue, this time for Michael Jackson displaying a front cover picture which the magazine claims inside is 'his lifeless body', further images inside purportedly show scenes of his attempted resuscitation, with Jackson's mouth covered by an oxygen mask and strapped to a hospital stretcher.

Other Media[link]

OK! TV is an early evening magazine programme, broadcast on Channel 5 as a brand extension of celebrity title OK! Magazine. It had replaced Live From Studio Five in February 2011, and is presented by Jenny Frost and Jeff Brazier who replaced Kate Walsh and Matt Johnson in August 2011.

OK! Insider is a weekly vodcast about the current issue of the magazine. It is written and presented by Layla Anna-Lee, produced by Simon Withington and available to view on the OK! UK webpage.

References[link]

External links[link]

• OK! Magazine
• OK! USA
  • OK USA mobile
• OK! Turkey
• OK! Azerbaijan
• OK! Thailand

v t e Northern & Shell Publications Current Daily Express, Sunday Express · Daily Star, Daily Star Sunday · OK! · Star · New! Former Asian Babes · International Musician and Recording World Television assets Channel 5 Broadcasting (Channel 5 · 5* · 5USA) · Television X · redhot · GAYtv People Richard Desmond Category

Hilary Duff
Duff at The Heart Truth's 2009 Red Dress Collection
Born	Hilary Erhard Duff (1987-09-28) September 28, 1987 (age 24) Houston, Texas, U.S.
Occupation	Actress, author, entrepreneur, recording artist
Years active	1997–present
Spouse	Mike Comrie (2010–present)
Children	1
Relatives	Haylie Duff (sister)
Website
hilaryduff.com

Hilary Erhard Duff (born September 28, 1987) is an American actress, author, entrepreneur and recording artist. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Duff appeared in local theatre plays and television commercials before coming to prominence in the title role of the Disney Channel's teen comedy Lizzie McGuire and The CW's teen drama Gossip Girl as movie star Olivia. Established as a teen idol, Duff reprised that role in the The Lizzie McGuire Movie and subsequently ventured into motion pictures, appearing in a string of successful films that include Agent Cody Banks, Cheaper by the Dozen, A Cinderella Story and Cheaper by the Dozen 2. Most recently, she has performed in a legion of television dramas and independent films.

Duff expanded her repertoire to include pop music and has released three RIAA-certified platinum albums including Metamorphosis (2002), her debut studio album which was certified triple platinum, Hilary Duff (2004) and Most Wanted (2005), which were both certified platinum. Her most recent studio album Dignity (2007) was certified gold and spawned her highest charting US single to date "With Love".^[1] Followed by Best of Hilary Duff (2008), a compilation of her greatest hits, Duff has since sold thirteen million albums worldwide.^[2]

Branching into the fashion industry, Duff has launched her own clothing lines Stuff by Hilary Duff and Femme for DKNY Jeans in addition to being signed with IMG Models and releasing two exclusive perfume collections with Elizabeth Arden.^[3] Her other business ventures include writing a series of young adult novel, including Elixir (2010) and Devoted (2011), while working as an executive producer for According to Greta and as a producer for Material Girls and Beauty & the Briefcase.

Early life[link]

Hilary Erhard Duff was born on September 28, 1987 in Houston, Texas,^[4] to Susan Colleen (née Cobb), a homemaker, and Robert Erhard Duff, a partner in a chain of convenience stores.^[5] Duff has an elder sister, Haylie, who is also an actress and singer. Her mother encouraged her to enroll in acting classes alongside Haylie. Both girls won roles in local theatre productions.^[6] At the ages of six and eight, the two sisters participated in a BalletMet Columbus production of The Nutcracker Suite in San Antonio.^[4] The sisters became increasingly interested in pursuing acting and their mother moved with them to California, while their father stayed in Houston to take care of his business.^[5][6] The sisters auditioned for several years and were cast in several television commercials.^[5] Due to her acting career, Duff was home-schooled.^[7]

Acting career[link]

[edit] 1997–2002: Career beginnings and Lizzie McGuire

Duff primarily played minor roles during her initial acting years. In 1997, she had an uncredited role in the Hallmark Entertainment western miniseries True Women. The following year, she played an uncredited extra in an ensemble dramedy, Playing by Heart. Her first major role was as a young witch, Wendy, in Casper Meets Wendy. The film, however, was released to mostly unenthusiastic reviews.^[8][9] In 1999, Duff appeared in a supporting role in the television film The Soul Collector, which was based on a Kathleen Kane novel. For her performance, Duff won a Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Movie or Pilot (Supporting Young Actress).^[10]

Duff first rose to fame in 2000 when she was cast as one of the children in the pilot episode of the NBC sitcom Daddio. Her co-star, Michael Chiklis, stated, "After working with her the first day, I remember saying to my wife, 'this young girl is going to be a movie star'. She was completely at ease with herself and comfortable in her own skin."^[5] However,prior to the airing of the show, Duff was dropped from the cast which made her reluctant to pursue her acting career further.^[5] However, her manager and mother urged her on and a week later she auditioned successfully for the title role of a newly developed children's television series, Lizzie McGuire.^[5] The show focused on the growth of the central character, "Lizzie McGuire" into teenhood. Lizzie McGuire first aired on the Disney Channel on January 12, 2001, and was a ratings hit. It attracted about 2.3 million viewers per episode.^[5] Her participation in the show made her popular among children between the ages of 7 and 14.^[11] That same year, she began dating teen singer Aaron Carter. Richard Huff, a New York Daily News critic, called her "a 2002 version of Annette Funicello".^[5] After Duff fulfilled her 65 episode contract with Lizzie McGuire, Disney considered expanding the franchise to films and a prime-time television series. The plans however failed, because Duff's representatives said she was not being paid enough for the proposed series.^[12]

Duff's first role in a theatrical motion picture was in Human Nature in 2002. The film was showcased first at the Cannes and Sundance film festivals.^[13] In the film, Duff portrayed the younger version of a female naturalist, played by Patricia Arquette. Duff also starred in the Disney Channel television film Cadet Kelly (2002), which became the network's most watched program in its 19-year history.^[5] In the film, she played the role of a free-spirited girl who struggles in a strict military school.

2003–06: Breakthrough film roles[link]

Hilary Duff poses with one of her fans at the pre-show "meet and greet" at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, N.C in 2006

In 2003, Duff received her first major role in a feature film when she was cast alongside Frankie Muniz in Agent Cody Banks. The film received positive reviews and was successful enough to spawn a sequel in which Duff was however not cast. That year, Duff reprised her role as Lizzie McGuire for The Lizzie McGuire Movie. It received mixed reviews, with certain critics calling it "an unabashed promotion of Duff’s image, just as Crossroads was for Britney Spears".^[14][15][16] Later that year, Duff played one of the 12 children of Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt in the family film Cheaper by the Dozen, which remains her highest grossing film to date.^[17]

Early in 2002, she entered a high-profile feud with Lindsay Lohan because she was also dating Aaron Carter along with her, but then he broke up with Lohan and resumed dating Duff. Later that year, she ended her two year relationship with Aaron Carter after he reportedly cheated on her.

She reprised her role in the sequel Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (2005), which was less successful as the original film and was panned by critics.^[18]

Duff also made several guest appearances in television shows, her first being as a sick child in the medical drama Chicago Hope in March 2000.^[19] In a 2003 episode of George Lopez, she had a role as a makeup salesperson; she later reappeared in the show in 2005 as Kenzie, a feminist poet friend of the character Carmen (Masiela Lusha). In the same year, she acted opposite her sister Haylie in American Dreams, while in 2005, she played a classmate and idolizer of the title character of Joan of Arcadia.^[20]

In 2004, Duff starred in the romantic comedy A Cinderella Story alongside Chad Michael Murray. Though the reviews were mostly negative, the film went on to become a moderate box office hit,^[17][21] and some critics were impressed by Duff's performance.^[22] Later that year, she starred in the film Raise Your Voice, her first role in a drama film. While some critics praised her for appearing in a more mature and serious role than her previous films, the film itself was heavily panned and was not successful at the box office.^[23] Several reviews were indifferent towards her acting performance and were critical of Duff's vocals, with critics pointing out what appeared to be her digitally enhanced voice.^{[24][25][26][27]} The same year, Duff received her first Razzie nomination for worst actress for her roles in Raise Your Voice and A Cinderella Story.^[28] In 2005, Duff starred in The Perfect Man, in which she played the eldest daughter of a divorced woman (Heather Locklear). In the same year, Duff was again nominated for a Razzie Award, for The Perfect Man and Cheaper by the Dozen 2.^[29] Later that year, the Duff sisters lent their voices to the computer animated comedy Foodfight!, which was to be distributed by Lions Gate Entertainment but was never released. The director of the film, Larry Kasanoff, said that he was "absolutely thrilled to have the Duff sisters as part of the cast".^[30] She also starred in the 2006 satirical comedy Material Girls, in which she co-starred with her sister Haylie Duff.^[31] Duff along with her sister Haylie, received two more nominations for Razzie Awards for their roles in the film.^[32]

2007–present: Independent films and television appearances[link]

Hilary Duff at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival

A two-part introspective documentary television special, Hilary Duff: This Is Now was produced to chronicle Duff's return to the recording industry. The show took two weeks to film and was shot in Los Angeles, Europe, and Spain. It was broadcast on MTV on April 3 and April 9, 2007. Duff was the guest star on The Andy Milonakis Show for its third season premiere in September 2007.

On September 7, 2007, Duff confirmed on MuchOnDemand, that she would be filming two independent films According to Greta, and What Goes Up.^[33] Duff starred opposite John Cusack in War, Inc. which was released in theatres in Los Angeles and Manhattan, New York on May 23, 2008. In June 2008, Duff joined the cast of the Polish brothers comedy Stay Cool. She co-starred alongside Winona Ryder, Mark Polish, Sean Astin, Chevy Chase, and Jon Cryer. In the film, she portrayed the character of Shasta O'Neil, described as a sexy high school senior, the film was released in 2010.^[34]

In early 2008, Duff was offered the lead role of Annie Mills in the CW Network's Beverly Hills, 90210 spinoff, but she turned it down because she was more interested in looking for projects outside the teen genre.^[35][36] In July 2009, she attained a role in Gossip Girl as a recurring guest star.^[37] She played the character of Olivia Burke, a movie star who enrols at NYU in search of a traditional college experience. The following year, she won a Teen Choice Award for "Best Female Scene Stealer" for her role as Olivia Burke.^[38] Duff starred in Beauty and the Briefcase, a romantic comedy based on the book Diary of a Working Girl, by Daniella Brodsky and directed by Gil Junger. The film premiered on ABC Family on April 18, 2010. In the film, Duff plays a fashion magazine columnist who writes about her dating struggles in the city.^[39]

In May 2011, Duff starred in Bloodworth, an adaptation of the novel Provinces of Night by William Gay, where Duff plays Raven Halfacre, a teenage daughter of a promiscuous, alcoholic mother.^[40] As of August 2011, Duff is scheduled to appear in an independent film called She Wants Me, directed by Rob Margolies,^[41] in which, she plays a young Hollywood actress named Kim Powers.

Music career[link]

[edit] 2002-03: Santa Claus Lane and Metamorphosis

Hilary Duff at the MuchMusic Video Awards in 2007

In 2002, Duff recorded a cover version of Brooke McClymont's "I Can't Wait" for the Lizzie McGuire soundtrack, and "The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room" for the first DisneyMania compilation album. She also released her first album, titled Santa Claus Lane which was a collection of Christmas songs which included duets with her sister, Haylie, Lil' Romeo, and Christina Milian. Accompanied by the Disney Channel-only single "Tell Me a Story (About the Night Before)", the album peaked at 154 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart and was certified gold.^[42][43]

Duff's studio debut album, Metamorphosis (2003), reached number one on the U.S. and Canadian charts^[44] and sold over 3.9 million copies in the U.S by January 2007.^[45] The lead single, "So Yesterday" was a top ten hit in several countries;^[46] its follow-up was the Laguna Beach theme song "Come Clean". The third single, "Little Voice", was not released in the U.S. and was a minor hit in Australia.^[47] In late 2003, Duff embarked on her first concert tour, the "Metamorphosis" tour, and later the "Most Wanted" tour. Most shows scheduled in the major cities were sold out.^[48]

[edit] 2004-08: Hilary Duff and Dignity

Hilary Duff at the taping of Live@Much: Hilary Duff

Duff's second studio album was the self-titled Hilary Duff, for which she co-wrote some songs.^[49] It was released on her seventeenth birthday (in September 2004) and debuted at #2 in the U.S. and at #1 in Canada. The album sold 1.8 million copies in the U.S.^[50] Most Wanted, her first compilation album, was released in August 2005. Most Wanted included songs from her previous two albums, remixes and three new songs which included "Wake Up" written by Joel Madden and his brother, Benji, both members of Good Charlotte.^[51] The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200^[52] and became her third number one debut in Canada. It sold over two hundred thousand copies within its first week of release and was certified platinum by the RIAA a month after its release.^{[53] [54]} In 2006, an Italy-only compilation, 4Ever was released. Duff also recorded a cover version of Madonna's "Material Girl" with her sister for their movie, Material Girls.^[55]

Duff co-wrote the material for her third studio album Dignity, along with Kara DioGuardi, who co-produced the album with Rhett Lawrence, Tim & Bob, and Richard Vission. She stated that compared to her previous music, it was "more dancey" and made use of more real instruments. She said, "I don't know exactly how to explain what we're doing, but it's fun and funky and different, something new for me. It's really cool".^[56] In November 2008, Duff's first greatest hits album, Best of Hilary Duff was released^[57] and the album's first single "Reach Out", which samples Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus", was released in the preceding month. The song became Duff's third #1 dance hit.^[58][59]

2012-present: Fifth studio album[link]

She then parted ways with Hollywood Records after six years of service and then announced to MTV that she would begin work on her new album in December 2008.^[60] In October 2011, Duff mentioned plans of a possible new album to E! Online.^[61] In January 2012, she confirmed that she had begun recording via her official website and twitter.^[62][63]

Other ventures[link]

Entrepreneurship[link]

Duff at a book signing in October 2010.

In March 2004, Duff launched her clothing line, "Stuff by Hilary Duff", which was distributed through Target in the United States, Kmart in Australia, Zellers in Canada, and Edgars Stores in South Africa. The company, which initially started as a clothing line, later expanded its business into furniture, fragrances and jewelry, primarily targeted at the teen and preteen crowd.^[64] In a November 2008 interview to Fashion Rules magazine, Hilary stated that her "Stuff by Hilary Duff" line was officially discontinued since she did not have full control of the line anymore.^[65]

In September 2006, Duff released her perfume, "With Love... Hilary Duff", which was distributed by the Elizabeth Arden company. The perfume was initially sold only in Macy's in the U.S. and soon it was being sold in other regions like Europe, Japan and Canada. "With Love...Hilary Duff" was one of the three best-selling fragrances launched at U.S. department stores in late 2006. In 2007, Duff announced that she will be releasing a summer version of the perfume titled, "Wrapped with Love". It was released in January 2008, and a Spring Gift Set version was released in time for Valentine's Day.^[66]

In February 2009, Duff and DKNY Jeans announced their new design partnership and the launch of their collaborative apparel line in the objective of designing a clothing line for girls her own age.^[67][68] Duff co-designed a collection of special pieces with DKNY Jeans brand called Femme for DKNY Jeans. The clothing line debuted nationwide in August 2009 and was around for a limited time.^[69][70] A series of three-minute long shorts titled The Chase were released to promoted the brand.

On October 12, 2010, Simon & Schuster published Duff's first novel, Elixir co-written with Elise Allen.^[71] The book, aimed at young adults, has since been released internationally and has become a New York Times best-seller. The sequel to the book, titled Devoted was released in hardcover on October 11, 2011.^[72] Duff also plans to release a non-fiction book in 2012 based on children coping with divorce.^[73]

Philanthropy[link]

Hilary Duff and Sarah Negrette in June 2005

Duff is involved with various philanthropic activities and is an animal rights enthusiast and a member of Kids with a Cause.^[74] She donated $250,000 to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.^[75] In 2005, she donated over 2.5 million meals to Hurricane Katrina victims in the south. In August 2006, Duff traveled to a New Orleans elementary school and worked with USA Harvest to distribute meals.^[76] She has also served on the Advisory Board of the "Audrey Hepburn Child Benefit Fund" and the Celebrity Council of "Kids with a Cause".^[77] On October 8, 2008, Duff starred in a public service announcement for The Think Before You Speak Campaign by Ad Council and GLSEN, to prevent youth from using anti-LGBT vocabulary, such as the phrase "That's So Gay".^[78] In July 2009, Duff was named as a Youth Ambassador to the children of the Colombian capital, Bogota. As a Youth Ambassador, she spent five days in the country, distributing backpacks filled with food to needy children.^[79]

Duff has stated numerous times that she’s a strong animal rights supporter and has commented, when asked what she would be doing if she weren’t a celebrity, "I always wanted to be a veterinarian when I was younger, but then I figured out that animals actually die there, so that was not the job for me. Definitely something with kids or animals or something like that."^[80]

Personal life and image[link]

Hilary Duff at the Toronto International Film Festival Party in 2007

She dated Aaron Carter on and off between 2001 and 2003. In July 2004, a 16 year old Duff began dating Good Charlotte singer Joel Madden.^[81] After a long period of tabloid speculation, Duff's mother Susan announced their relationship in a June 2005 interview for Seventeen magazine.^[82] In November 2006, Duff and Madden broke up.^[83] The same year, Duff's parents separated after 22 years of marriage. She wrote about the pain caused by the separation in her songs "Stranger" and "Gypsy Woman".^[84] In a June 2006 interview with Elle magazine, Duff was quoted as saying: "...(virginity) is definitely something I like about myself. It doesn't mean I haven't thought about sex, because everyone I know has had it and you want to fit in".^[85][86] Duff later told MuchMusic that she did not say the quotes attributed to her in the article and that the subject was "definitely not something that I would talk about..."^[87] She denied the quotes again in a 2008 interview with Maxim magazine.^[88]

In 2007, Duff began dating NHL player Mike Comrie. On February 19, 2010, Duff and Comrie announced their engagement.^[89][90] The couple married on August 14, 2010 in Santa Barbara, California.^[91] Duff gave birth to their first child, a son named Luca Cruz Comrie, on March 20, 2012.^[92][93]

Filmography[link]

Films[link]

Television[link]

Discography[link]

• Santa Claus Lane (2002)
• Metamorphosis (2003)
• Hilary Duff (2004)
• Dignity (2007)

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Dougherty, Terri (2007). Hillary Duff. Lucent Books. ISBN 978-1-4205-0012-7. 

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Hilary Duff

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Hilary Duff

• Hilary Duff on Myspace
• Hilary Duff on Twitter
• Hilary Duff at the Internet Movie Database
• Hilary Duff at People.com
• Official website
• Official Hollywood Records Page

Mike Comrie
Comrie with the Edmonton Oilers in 2009–10 NHL season
Born	(1980-09-11) September 11, 1980 (age 31) Edmonton, AB, CAN
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight	185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Left
Played for	Edmonton Oilers Philadelphia Flyers Phoenix Coyotes Ottawa Senators New York Islanders Pittsburgh Penguins
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	91st overall, 1999 Edmonton Oilers
Playing career	2000–2011

Michael William "Mike" Comrie (born September 11, 1980) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre.

Playing career[link]

Mike Comrie was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta and attended Jasper Place High School. Comrie was drafted in the third round, ninety-first overall, in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft by his hometown Edmonton Oilers out of the University of Michigan.

Edmonton Oilers[link]

Comrie left the Western Hockey League (WHL)'s Kootenay Ice midway through the 2000–01 season, signing a $10-million three year deal with the Oilers,^[1] which was well above the league maximum for 2001 draftees of $1.13 million a year, per year, over the years (due to a loophole established by Mike Van Ryn).^[2] There, he would instantly become a fan favourite and hometown hero.^[3] He was an offensive threat during his first couple seasons with the team, tallying a total of 133 points in 192 games from 2001 to 2003.

Departure from Edmonton[link]

After a lacklustre training camp in the pre-season Comrie's status as local hero in Edmonton started to change dramatically,^[4][5] after he elected to hold out in a contract dispute for more than 30 games into the 2003–04 season. The Oilers then-General Manager, Kevin Lowe, was reportedly willing to trade Comrie to the Anaheim Ducks for Corey Perry and a first round draft pick,^[6] but within that deal sought to have Comrie reimburse the Oilers $2.5 million,^[7] which was part of the bonus money he earned from his entry-level contract.^[8] After this deal fell through, Comrie was dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers in December 2003, for Jeff Woywitka, a first round selection in 2004 (Rob Schremp), and a third round selection in 2005 (Danny Syvret).^[9]

Philadelphia Flyers and Phoenix Coyotes[link]

Comrie played only 21 games for Philadelphia before being traded to the Phoenix Coyotes for Sean Burke, Branko Radivojevic, and the rights to Ben Eager.

During the 2004-2005 NHL lockout, he signed with Färjestads BK of the Elitserien and played ten games with them, before leaving in December 2004.^[10] Following an agreement made in July 2005, between the NHL and NHLPA members to resume hockey operations and play, Comrie would return to the Coyotes for the 2005–06 NHL season, where he would record his second 30 goal season in the NHL. The Coyotes would then re-sign Comrie to a new, one-year contract worth $3 million, on August 4, 2006.^[11]

On January 3, 2007, Comrie found himself being traded once again, this time to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Senators prospect Alexei Kaigorodov.

Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders[link]

Comrie scored his first goal for the Senators versus the Boston Bruins on January 9, 2007 at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Ontario. Whenever Comrie scored a goal at Scotiabank Place, his goal song was "Black Gloves" by the Belgian band Goose. He helped Ottawa throughout the playoffs despite having an injured shoulder that required local anesthetic to numb the pain, this prevented him from reaching down to tie his skates. The Senators made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, losing to the Anaheim Ducks, in a 4–1 series decision. Prior to the loss, the Senators eliminated the Pittsburgh Penguins, New Jersey Devils, and Buffalo Sabres all in five games.

On July 5, 2007, Mike Comrie signed a one-year contract worth $3.375 million with the New York Islanders as an unrestricted free agent.^[12] Before the trade deadline on February 26, 2008, the New York Islanders re-signed Comrie to a new one-year contract worth $4 million.^[13] Comrie would be traded back to the Senators on February 20, 2009, with Chris Campoli, in exchange for Dean McAmmond and a San Jose Sharks 2009 first round draft pick.^[14]

Return to the Oilers[link]

On September 10, 2009, Mike Comrie signed a one-year contract worth $1.125 million with the team he began his NHL career with, returning to the Edmonton Oilers after six years, for their upcoming 2009–10 NHL season.^[15] Comrie chose to wear No. 91 (his overall draft selection number), as his familiar jersey No. 89 (which he wore during his first go-round with the team), was taken by Sam Gagner.

Comrie made his return to Edmonton a night to remember, in a 4–0 pre-season win over the Florida Panthers, on September 18, 2009. Comrie assisted on all four of the goals scored and registered a fight, squaring off with the Panthers' Eric Himelfarb, to which Comrie received a standing ovation from the Rexall Place crowd, who promptly chanted his name as he took his place inside the penalty box.^[16]

On November 17, Comrie was placed on the NHL long term injury reserve list with mononucleosis and was expected to be out until late January. He had 5 goals and 8 points, in 16 games. Comrie would make his return to the Oilers line-up on February 1, 2010, recording an assist in a 4–2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. He finished out the rest of the season tallying 13 goals and 21 points, in 43 games.

Mike Comrie became an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2010, with the Oilers opting not to re-sign him for the 2010–11 season.^[17]

Pittsburgh Penguins[link]

On September 3, 2010, Mike Comrie signed a one-year contract worth $500,000 with the Pittsburgh Penguins,^[18] joining the franchise that drafted his uncle Fred, in 1973.^[19] On September 22, 2010, Comrie scored the very first goal inside of the new Consol Energy Center, 81 seconds into the Penguins' 5-1 exhibition game victory over the Detroit Red Wings.^[20] Due to a nagging hip injury, Comrie was sidelined for much of the regular season. He scored his first goal as a Penguin during their 82nd and final game of the season, on an empty Atlanta Thrashers net. It was the last game in Thrashers franchise history before the team relocated to Winnipeg in the off season.

Retirement[link]

After undergoing hip surgery for the third time, Comrie retired from hockey on February 13, 2012.^[21]

Personal life[link]

Comrie's father, William (Bill), and his uncles, Fred and John, are the founders of The Brick furniture company. This is where Mike obtained his nickname, "The Brick". Comrie's mother, Theresa, died from cancer in 1990. Comrie has two older siblings; a sister, Cathy, and a brother, Paul, who played with the Oilers briefly, before Mike was drafted by them. Comrie also has two younger half-brothers from his father's second marriage, Eric^[22] and Ty,^[23] both aspiring hockey players.

Comrie began dating American actress Hilary Duff in 2007. The couple announced their engagement in February 2010,^[24][25] and married on August 14, 2010 in Santa Barbara.^[26] They have a son, Luca Cruz Comrie (born March 20, 2012).^[27]

Awards and non-achievements[link]

• 1997 AJHL Rookie of the Year
• 1998 AJHL Champion
• 1998 AJHL Most Valuable Player
• 1999 NCAA (CCHA) All-Rookie Team
• 1999 NCAA (CCHA) First All-Star Team
• 1999 NCAA (CCHA) Rookie of the Year
• 2000 NCAA (CCHA) First All-Star Team
• 2000 NCAA (West) Second All-American Team
• 2003 IIHF World Championship Gold Medal
• 2005 Elitserien SM-Silver Medal^[28]

Career statistics[link]

Regular season and playoffs[link]