By To an uninformed observer at the Lady Beaverbrook Rink, he looked like another college hockey player. The real story is much more compelling. He’s an ex-professional, ex-convict working on a second chance.
For Mike Danton, playing hockey for the St. Mary’s University Huskies is like a breath of fresh air. For the last 62 months, Danton has been behind bars for conspiracy to commit murder. The former NHL player was arrested by the FBI in 2004 and pled guilty for trying to hire a hit-man to murder his agent, David Frost.
Mike Danton is getting a second chance after going to prison for hiring a man to kill his agent.
Danton came into Fredericton for his February 6th game against the St. Thomas Tommies with very little adverse reaction from fans.
Mark Monroe, an avid Tommies fan, said that he thinks Danton deserves a second chance.
“I couldn’t be happier about,” said Monroe. “[Danton] getting to play in this league after all he’s been through…being through the prison system, I hope it works out. Plus it’s great publicity for the league, the nation has really focused on that story.”
Another fan, Jim Savard, just didn’t understand why he was allowed to play, but not for the reasons you think.
Even though he played in the NHL for two years, Danton still got roughed up a little bit on Saturday.
“He played in the NHL!” said Savard. “I don’t see how this is fair to our guys. He’s a 28 or 29 year-old ex-professional, and he’s playing against guys that are 19 and 20 years old. I don’t see how that’s fair.”
Fair or not, according to Canadian Intervarsity Sport bi-laws, a player with less than four years of professional experience after turning 21, may play collegiate hockey after sitting out 365 days.
Obviously, Danton sat out more than a year, making him eligible to play.
And after being out of hockey for more than five years, he was in town on Saturday night to take on the Tommies.
Aside from looking a little bit older and being a little bit faster, he looked just the sameas any of the other players. And after five years of being behind bars, he hasn’t lost his stride.
From the opening face-off, the Tommies attempted to make his life miserable. In the first period, Tommies captain Erick Tremblay barely missed what would have been a crushing hit on Danton. The missed hit allowed the Huskies to get the puck in front of the net where Tommies netminder Charles Lavigne made a sensational glove save.
It was back and forth action for most of the first period and with a man in the penalty box,
Danton didn't score, but was still +2 in his teams 6-2 victory.
Tommies first year player, Kenton Dulle, tipped the puck, broke out of his zone and scored on a beautiful deke that pulled Huskies goalie Neil Conway out of his skates.
That was the high point for the Tommies though, it was all downhill from there. Over the next two periods, the Huskies pelted Lavigne with 25 shots on their way to six unanswered goals before Tommies third year player, Devan Praught put one in with less than two minutes to go in the game.
Danton's second chance is the biggest story to hit Atlantic University Sport hockey in years.
In the 6-2 blowout, Mike Danton didn’t hit the stat sheet, though he mustered three shots, three hits, and was on the ice for two Huskies goals for a rating of +2.
No, he didn’t score, but he’s still the winner here. Playing hockey again after being in prison is a priceless opportunity.
Today redemption is spelled M-I-K-E.
