"Bizarre" Murder Conspiracy Sends Mike Danton to Prison

Mike Danton's NHL career likely came to an end yesterday, as he was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison for attempting to have his agent murdered. In handing down the sentence, the judge said he had never seen "a case as bizarre as this one."

"The exact reasons you felt you needed to engage in a murder plot remain a mystery to me," said U.S. District Judge William Stiehl.

Danton's lawyers will request a transfer to a Canadian prison, where he could be eligible for parole as early as 2006. The judge noted that if he ends up in Canada, Danton may not be allowed to return to the United States after completing his sentence. His contract with the St. Louis Blues expired at the end of the 2003-04 season.

Danton was arrested in April, after hiring a hit man who turned out to be a police dispatcher. Prosecutors said the intended victim was David Frost, Danton's agent and former youth hockey coach.

Writing for ESPN.com, Damien Cox notes that the case is one of several unfortunate stories unfolding in a year when hockey seems to be on trial at every turn.