The family of former Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Keith Magnuson is asking a judge to refrain from sending the former NHL player responsible for his death to jail.

Rob Ramage was found guilty in October of impaired and dangerous driving in the Dec. 15, 2003, crash that killed Magnuson.

A police officer examines the rental car allegedly driven by Rob Ramage.
(Saul Porto/Canadian Press)

Magnuson, 56, died instantly when a rental car driven by Ramage, 48, slammed head-on into another vehicle in Woodbridge, Ont.

At a sentencing hearing Tuesday in a court in Newmarket, Ont., Magnuson's family asked the judge to sentence Ramage to community service instead of jail time so he can speak at schools about drinking and driving.

Magnuson's son Kevin told the judge that Ramage and his family have been punished enough.

The Crown has asked for Ramage to be sentenced to between three and five years.