 He 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.Comrie left the Western Hockey League (WHL)'s Kootenay Ice midway through the 2000–01 season, signing an incentive-laden $10-million three-year deal with the Oilers, which, when all achievable bonuses were included, was well above the league maximum for the base salaries of 2001 draftees of $1.13 million a year.Although Comrie was a free agent as a result of playing one year of major junior hockey as an overage player after leaving college (due to a loophole established by Mike Van Ryn), entry-level salary restrictions still applied to Comrie's contract, with free-agent status allowing Comrie to sign with any team he desired.