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sorry if this has been posted already but i just saw it on Kypreos twitter
its sounds like he is in a positive space right now
Anyone in doubt of Danton’s scholastic credibility may be swayed with Monday’s official word that he has been named an academic all-Canadian. Academically, that means he was in that group of Canadian Interuniversity Sport varsity athletes who maintained a grade point average of 3.7 or more. Danton’s grade point average, thanks to classes he took during the second semester last year and summer courses this year, was an impressive 3.9.
Few were surprised that after Danton was accepted at SMU last January, he helped the Huskies win their first CIS hockey title ever. But faring so well academically — accomplished in large part thanks to a work ethic that had him in the SMU library for summer courses until almost 11 o’clock many nights — has surprised many.
Combine that determination and intelligence with a gift for talking and it is understandable why so many mentors want young people to hear what Danton has to say.
"How I usually crack the ice, because people don’t know me, is I usually have a little bio there that somebody will read out for an introduction," Danton said. "It will talk about hockey, school, national championships, awards — leaving certain things out. Then, when I get up there, I say, ‘Yep, my name is Mike. Yep, I was drafted in the NHL and played there. Yep, I won a national championship and am an academic all-Canadian. However, what was left out is I’ve been to prison for 65 months.’
"People just kind of look at me and I say, ‘What a dumb-ass I am.’ Boom, everybody laughs, that breaks the ice and they see that I’m a normal person.
"(Working with kids) is something I always enjoyed doing. When I was in St. Louis, I worked with a group called Our Little Haven and it dealt with underprivileged kids. I think it’s a soft spot of mine, where I was underprivileged. I went without a lot of things.
"For the first 11 years of my life, I didn’t have a solid family foundation. I think if I had had a little bit of guidance and direction in my life in the first 11 years, the direction of my life would have been a little bit different."
His talks, which he does for free, aren’t aimed only at troubled kids.
"Just kids, in general. The importance of education has always been there in my speeches. Also, the ability to make good decisions, the work ethic, the dedication and having positive people in your life. I’ve touched on abuse, drug and alcohol, being involved with all of that."
These days, Danton is feeling pretty good about his life. He still has a solid Saint Mary’s support system — hockey coach Trevor Stienburg, athletic director Steve Sarty, his hockey buddies and fellow SMU students — but he is also doing well on his own now. He has moved from Stienburg’s home and has been sharing an apartment with a teammate. He has a girlfriend. And he is looking forward to the end of his parole next January.
There have been plenty of changes in a short time for the guy who will turn 30 soon, but the one thing he is certain about is that helping kids will be a big part of his future.
"I love kids. I want a family more than I want to play in the NHL again. I screwed up and I screwed up bad. I love kids so much; I don’t want to see them make the same mistakes I did. I don’t care if I’m related to them; I don’t care if I know them. It doesn’t matter. The important thing to me is not only getting my message across properly, but making sure they understand it and that they apply it to their daily lives."
its sounds like he is in a positive space right now
Anyone in doubt of Danton’s scholastic credibility may be swayed with Monday’s official word that he has been named an academic all-Canadian. Academically, that means he was in that group of Canadian Interuniversity Sport varsity athletes who maintained a grade point average of 3.7 or more. Danton’s grade point average, thanks to classes he took during the second semester last year and summer courses this year, was an impressive 3.9.
Few were surprised that after Danton was accepted at SMU last January, he helped the Huskies win their first CIS hockey title ever. But faring so well academically — accomplished in large part thanks to a work ethic that had him in the SMU library for summer courses until almost 11 o’clock many nights — has surprised many.
Combine that determination and intelligence with a gift for talking and it is understandable why so many mentors want young people to hear what Danton has to say.
"How I usually crack the ice, because people don’t know me, is I usually have a little bio there that somebody will read out for an introduction," Danton said. "It will talk about hockey, school, national championships, awards — leaving certain things out. Then, when I get up there, I say, ‘Yep, my name is Mike. Yep, I was drafted in the NHL and played there. Yep, I won a national championship and am an academic all-Canadian. However, what was left out is I’ve been to prison for 65 months.’
"People just kind of look at me and I say, ‘What a dumb-ass I am.’ Boom, everybody laughs, that breaks the ice and they see that I’m a normal person.
"(Working with kids) is something I always enjoyed doing. When I was in St. Louis, I worked with a group called Our Little Haven and it dealt with underprivileged kids. I think it’s a soft spot of mine, where I was underprivileged. I went without a lot of things.
"For the first 11 years of my life, I didn’t have a solid family foundation. I think if I had had a little bit of guidance and direction in my life in the first 11 years, the direction of my life would have been a little bit different."
His talks, which he does for free, aren’t aimed only at troubled kids.
"Just kids, in general. The importance of education has always been there in my speeches. Also, the ability to make good decisions, the work ethic, the dedication and having positive people in your life. I’ve touched on abuse, drug and alcohol, being involved with all of that."
These days, Danton is feeling pretty good about his life. He still has a solid Saint Mary’s support system — hockey coach Trevor Stienburg, athletic director Steve Sarty, his hockey buddies and fellow SMU students — but he is also doing well on his own now. He has moved from Stienburg’s home and has been sharing an apartment with a teammate. He has a girlfriend. And he is looking forward to the end of his parole next January.
There have been plenty of changes in a short time for the guy who will turn 30 soon, but the one thing he is certain about is that helping kids will be a big part of his future.
"I love kids. I want a family more than I want to play in the NHL again. I screwed up and I screwed up bad. I love kids so much; I don’t want to see them make the same mistakes I did. I don’t care if I’m related to them; I don’t care if I know them. It doesn’t matter. The important thing to me is not only getting my message across properly, but making sure they understand it and that they apply it to their daily lives."
