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EWING, N.J. -- Wayne Gretzky's wife and about a half-dozen NHL players placed bets -- but not on hockey -- with a nationwide sports gambling ring financed by Phoenix Coyotes assistant coach Rick Tocchet, authorities said Tuesday
Gretzky, hockey's greatest player, is in his first season coaching the Coyotes and is a part-owner of the team.
Gretzky's wife, actress Janet Jones, was among those implicated, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because no bettors have been publicly identified.
New Jersey State Police Superintendent Colonel Rick Fuentes said an eight-month undercover investigation dubbed "Operation Slap Shot" into the New Jersey-based ring discovered the processing of more than 1,000 wagers, exceeding $1.7 million, on professional and college sports, mostly football and basketball. He declined to identify the NHL players who made wagers but said none bet on hockey.
However, Lt. Col. Frank Rodgers, deputy superintendent of investigations with the New Jersey State Police, confirmed to TSN of Canada that "12 NHL players or people closely associated with NHL clubs" -- including a team owner and a member of one coaching staff -- placed bets with the ring. He would not say if any of the bettors with ties to the NHL bet on hockey.
The investigation also revealed alleged ties to the Bruno-Scarfo crime family in Philadelphia and southern New Jersey, authorities said.
John Hagerty, spokesman for the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice, told ESPN.com's Scott Burnside that those being investigated for making bets through the ring are "all over the country and Canada as well."
Lt. Gerald Lewis of the New Jersey State Police public information office told ESPN.com that other athletes, some retired and some currently active, would be interviewed, but he wouldn't say how many are connected to the NHL.
Lewis said the interest in talking to the people who were placing bets is to determine if there was an illegality on the part of the bettors and also to try to learn more about the scope of the betting operation.
He said the NHL had not been contacted during the investigation even though the league has a security arm that tries to educate players to possible legal problems. He said the state police were under no obligation to share their information with the league prior to the laying of charges.
Lewis said he would hope "that at some point [the NHL] would investigate."
The developments came at a sensitive time for the NHL, which is trying to win back fans after a season-long lockout and just days before many of the league's best players will showcase their talent at the Torino Olympics.
Tocchet was served with a criminal complaint Monday and was expected to travel from his Arizona home to answer charges of promoting gambling, money laundering and conspiracy, Fuentes said. A criminal complaint informs Tocchet of authorities' intention to formally charge him and the need for him to arrange to travel to New Jersey for formal charging or face arrest.
Hagerty said all the charges are in the second degree and all carry a maximum 10-year sentence.
"It's not a hockey-related issue, it's a football thing. And at this time I can't comment any further," Tocchet told The Arizona Republic after the Coyotes practiced Tuesday.
Gretzky said Tocchet would be on the bench for Tuesday night's home game against Chicago, and it would be "business as usual."
"Everyone in the world is innocent until proven guilty," Gretzky said. "He's a great guy and a good friend. He's just going through a tough time right now, obviously, and we've got to let it run its course. It's a situation that's obviously a concern for the organization at this point."
Asked about his wife's involvement, Gretzky laughed and said, "Oh really? I don't know. You'd have to ask her that."
"In response to the allegations against Coyotes associate coach Rick Tocchet, and consistent with Club policy, the Phoenix Coyotes organization declines further comment on the situation until definitive information becomes available," Coyotes president and COO Douglas Moss said in a statement. "The focus of the Coyotes organization is to continue our drive for a playoff position."
Tocchet acknowledged that a New Jersey state trooper arrested in connection with the gambling ring case is his friend. Tocchet said he would cooperate with the investigation but didn't answer when asked if he'd surrender to authorities.
"We understand that Mr. Tocchet's conduct in no way involved betting on hockey," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said. "And, while betting on football or other sports may be the pervasive issue, it in no way justifies poor judgment or otherwise alleged inappropriate conduct."
Authorities said Tocchet and state police Trooper James Harney were partners in the operation, with the ex-NHL forward providing the financing.
"Tocchet received illegal sports bets from wagers and funneled money back to New Jersey," Fuentes said.
Tocchet, one of three associate coaches on the Coyotes' staff, took over the head coaching duties for 10 days in December while Gretzky was with his dying mother.
The 41-year-old Tocchet played 18 years with six teams, including three seasons with the Coyotes from 1997-2000. He is one of only two players in NHL history to collect 400 goals and 2,000 penalty minutes.
Tocchet was a fan favorite during his two stints with the Philadelphia Flyers (1984-92, 2000-02). Flyers star center Peter Forsberg on Tuesday described Tocchet as "a good guy, a funny guy."
"I think everybody is surprised," Forsberg said. "It's definitely not good for the sport to hear something like that."
Flyers forward Simon Gagne played briefly with Tocchet in Philadelphia and called him "one of the best guys I knew."
Harney, 40, was arrested Monday and has been suspended from the force. The eight-year police veteran was charged in an arrest warrant with official misconduct, promoting gambling, money laundering and conspiracy. Another man accused of taking bets is James Ulmer, 40, who was charged with promoting gambling, money laundering and conspiracy.
Both men were free after posting 10 percent of their bail. Harney had $100,000 bail; Ulmer had $50,000 bail. The two men were expected to be arraigned in state Superior Court in Burlington County within two weeks.
Craig Mitnick, a lawyer representing Harney, said his client hadn't decided whether to contest the charges in court.
The police investigation into the ring started in October 2005 after authorities received a tip on Harney's sports wagering from his Marlton home and taking phone calls during his patrol job based out of the agency's Moorestown station, Fuentes said.
Fuentes did not disclose the bettors' names and said charges against more individuals were possible. He described one of them as a "movie celebrity."
Starting Monday night, authorities seized property from Harney and Ulmer. State police seized $27,000 in currency, "voluminous" amounts of sports betting information and bank accounts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, Fuentes said.
A search of Harney's house recovered more than $250,000 worth of Rolex watches and nine plasma-screen televisions, including two from his bathroom.
In 1,144 NHL regular-season games, Tocchet had 440 goals, 512 assists and 2,972 penalty minutes with Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington and Phoenix. Tocchet won a Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 1992 and appeared in the Stanley Cup finals with Philadelphia in 1987. He appeared in four NHL All-Star Games: 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1993.
The NHL veteran was also hired by the Avalanche as an assistant coach in 2003.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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