Coyotes' Tocchet implicated in sports gambling rin

[jkrdevil]

Slight correction: Tocchet was not behind the bench tonight.  They only had two of the associate coaches (I forget their names).

Are you sure? Gretzy stated in the AZ Republic that Tocchet would be behind the bench like normal. and I was unable to see the game because for some reason I no longer have the OLN network.

Bettman stepped him. Tocchet was not behind the bench last night.

[jkrdevil]

Gretzky caught talking about ring on wire tap. No evidence though he bet.

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/b...ll=1&thispage=1

[OnWis97]

Anything Janet did, Gretzky will be implicated for, most likely. Even if I were as rich as Gretzky, I don't think my wife and I would be able to hid a half a million bucks in gambling from each other, and if we did, that would be a problem.

Michael Jordan or Pete Rose?

So, if Gretzky turns out to be Michael Jordan, this will blow over. Illegal gambling that just about everyone does. Minor uproar.

But if it turns out that hockey has been bet on, it's going to look like inside info, etc. Then he's Pete Rose and it's gonna hit the fan.

[Bleujayone]

Bets Are Down

By Eric Wilbur, (boston.com) Boston Globe Staff | February 9, 2006

The unpopular theory that the current NHL gambling scandal is actually beneficial for a league desperate for publicity is injudicious at best. At worst, it's not just that such an idea shows a complete lack of discernment. Let's just say I wouldn't want these people becoming conductors, lest they figure a train wreck would provide some much-needed publicity for Amtrak.

Let's make this clear. This is bad. And what's worse is that it is seemingly becoming worse by the moment.

The Newark Star Ledger -- which is to this story thus far what the San Francisco Chronicle was to the BALCO scandal -- reported this morning that Wayne Gretzky had previously discussed the multimillion-dollar gambling operation allegedly run by his Phoenix Coyotes assistant coach Rick Tocchet and former bartender friend of Tocchet -- New Jersey state trooper James Harney -- before it was shut down Monday.

Law enforcement officers said that through wire taps, they reportedly learned that The Great One knew about the ring, and are now investigating whether he placed any bets through his wife, Janet Jones. Yeah, I'm sure they're high-fiving each other in the NHL offices today because they've got America finally talking about their game.

Some want to know what the big deal is. We all gamble, right? Doesn't sports have more important things to worry about, asks Frank DeFord?

This isn't a scandal built around the moral obligations of gambling, which we can argue about all week long and be hypocritical all the while with our staunch putdowns of the culture's seediness. But there's a big difference between tossing five bucks into a Super Bowl squares pool among friends ($20 winner, thank you) and running a multi-million dollar ring with possible ties to the New Jersey mob.

I mean, it doesn't take a genius, right?

The National Post of Canada today reported the story of Philadelphia crime boss Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino, who is doing 14 years hard time in a Texas maximum security prison: "Merlino was a young celebrity guy, you know, if Gotti is GQ, Joey is Maxim, they were that same kind of, 'Hey, look at me, I'm a gangster-celebrity-man about town,'" a Philadelphia Inquirer crime reporter told Joe O'Connor.

This week, Merlino's name is being associated with Tocchet's, as the New Jersey Police's "Operation Slap Slot" (love it) investigates a possible link between Tocchet and Skinny Joey's old "family", the Bruno-Scarfo mafia clan. (When names like "Bruno-Scarfo mafia clan" come up, you can bet NHL promotion directors are getting wound up with the possibilities.)

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman granted Tocchet an indefinite leave yesterday (translate: likely permanent), and the assistant coach is preparing to be arraigned in the next two weeks. Gretzky could be also subpoenaed to testify before a New Jersey grand jury.

This news is not going over well in Canada, as you can imagine, where in a matter of days national hero Gretzky is due to lead Team Canada to almost assured golden glory at the Olympics in Turin. Some wonder whether the Phoenix Coyotes coach should stay home altogether when the Olympic break commences this weekend. The only Canadian who has to be happy about this right now is Todd Bertuzzi, who is going to fly under the radar next week rather than have relive his ugly incident with Steve Moore.

"He should stay home, not as a favour to the Canadian Olympic team, but to protect it," writes the Calgary Sun's Steve Simmons. "Should Gretzky arrive as planned early next week in his role as executive director of Team Canada, he will not simply be transporting his legendary self from one hockey universe to another, he will be transporting a scandal from one continent to another. He will be spreading a hockey virus."

If today's Star-Ledger report is true, that might actually be the case. Remember, when news of this ring first surfaced on Tuesday, the implication was that up to a dozen players and an owner were involved as well. Bruins' Travis Green's name has been mentioned, as has Mass. native Jeremy Roenick (neither commented on the allegations yesterday), while Gretzky coaches -- and owns -- the Phoenix Coyotes.

"Can't you feel the chill, Canada?" asks Cam Cole in the Montreal Gazette. "We wait for the names to come spilling out, as they surely will in the days ahead, wondering if the ones who've had brushes with gambling in the past -- Jaromir Jagr, Keith Tkachuk, Jeremy Roenick -- will be among them. But most of all, we wonder if the unthinkable could be true: if arguably the greatest hockey player of all could have slipped some money to his wife to add to her own wagers on games."

After Jones (who will reportedly make a statement some time today) lost a reported $500,000 in gambling debts (according to the Star-Ledger), the question as to whether he knew is almost banal. The major uncertainly lay now in how much he knew, and if he participated. And the NHL cannot like which way the weathervane is pointing right now.

This certainly is the biggest betting scandal to hit professional sports since Pete Rose, the most disturbing blow to a game's image since steroids in baseball. But we're not here to talk about the past. On the eve of having its players celebrated on the world stage in Italy, the NHL now has to deal with a major headache of epic proportions. It's one that's not likely to drown the game but will nevertheless give it a major hit at a time when it was anticipating a rebound, thanks to Turin, wide ice and speedy play, which exhibit the game in its best environment.

The NHL seems to always benefit from the Olympic popularity one way or another (even if the American players do like to trash hotel rooms), but in 2006, it's going to be northing more than a distraction to simmering and serious allegations that have apparently just scratched the surface.

[NJTank]

What a mess this is no matter what happens now people will think Wayne bet, becuase of his wife.

[brinkeguthrie]

Anything Janet did, Gretzky will be implicated for, most likely. Even if I were as rich as Gretzky, I don't think my wife and I would be able to hid a half a million bucks in gambling from each other, and if we did, that would be a problem.

Michael Jordan or Pete Rose?

So, if Gretzky turns out to be Michael Jordan, this will blow over. Illegal gambling that just about everyone does. Minor uproar.

But if it turns out that hockey has been bet on, it's going to look like inside info, etc. Then he's Pete Rose and it's gonna hit the fan.

Uh-oh.

Wayne Gretzky was recorded on a wiretap talking to the alleged financier of a gambling ring, discussing how the hockey great's wife could avoid being implicated, a person with knowledge of the investigation told The Associated Press on Thursday.

[jkrdevil]

Anything Janet did, Gretzky will be implicated for, most likely.  Even if I were as rich as Gretzky, I don't think my wife and I would be able to hid a half a million bucks in gambling from each other, and if we did, that would be a problem.

Michael Jordan or Pete Rose?

So, if Gretzky turns out to be Michael Jordan, this will blow over.  Illegal gambling that just about everyone does.  Minor uproar.

But if it turns out that hockey has been bet on, it's going to look like inside info, etc.  Then he's Pete Rose and it's gonna hit the fan.

Uh-oh.

Wayne Gretzky was recorded on a wiretap talking to the alleged financier of a gambling ring, discussing how the hockey great's wife could avoid being implicated, a person with knowledge of the investigation told The Associated Press on Thursday.

I personally don't think that makes things worse. That could still mean it was just his wife betting. Obviously he knew about but I don't think anyone believed he didn't.

On a side note how happy do you think Pedro Gomez is about this? I mean this means he doesn't have to follow Barry Bonds around every single day now.

[Gamingboy]

So Hockey Fans, I don't know the NHL's gambling policy, but anyway that Gretz gets banned from Hockey for life if he is found to have gambled on Hockey?

[jkrdevil]

So Hockey Fans, I don't know the NHL's gambling policy, but anyway that Gretz gets banned from Hockey for life if he is found to have gambled on Hockey?

Yes, like the other team sports gambling on NHL games is bunished by a life banishment. I think.

[Bleujayone]

Would that also mean if Gretzky receives a lifetime ban from hockey for gambling on NHL games that he would also be stricken from the Hall of Fame until after his death- even though he's already been inducted?

Blame it all on his wife if you like, but he's been the only breadwinner since they hooked up and it was half a million dollars in bets, it's going to be VERY hard to prove he wasn't directly involved.

Yikes.

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

i heard gm barnett was involved too. can't confirm it though.

[jkrdevil]

Would that also mean if Gretzky receives a lifetime ban from hockey for gambling on NHL games that he would also be stricken from the Hall of Fame until after his death- even though he's already been inducted?

Blame it all on his wife if you like, but he's been the only breadwinner since they hooked up and it was half a million dollars in bets, it's going to be VERY hard to prove he wasn't directly involved.

Yikes.

Actually it's probably going to be hard to prove he was directly involved. I'm sure she has access to their bank accounts.

I don't know the HOF policy on banned players. It could be different that the Baseball Hall.

[HatCityEnforcer]

Well, there IS a precedent for the HHOF removing people...

Alan Eagleston (who helped found the NHLPA and the Canada Cup and was Bobby Orr's agent among other things) got himself removed from the Hall after he was found guilty of fraud and sent to jail...