This Certainly Hasn’t Been a Great Week

His head snapped back, and it wasn’t because he was on the wrong end of a hit handed out by onetime antagonists Ken Linesman or Esa Tikkanen.

Instead, it was the presence of about 60 reporters crammed into seemingly every nook and cranny of a small conference room at Glendale Arena. Wayne Gretzky, who looked stunned at the large gathering, has never been one to hide his feelings, not when he was a player, not as the coach of the Phoenix Coyotes, and certainly not during possibly the most tumultuous week of his life.

This week, allegations have surfaced that his close friend and Coyote assistant coach Rick Tocchet helped lead and finance a nationwide gambling ring, accompanied by reports that Gretzky’s wife Janet Jones has allegedly placed bets with the group.

Gretzky had not met with the media since Tuesday after the Coyotes’ last game, and this was the first time he had answered questions in a public setting since his name surfaced in a Newark Star-Ledger report, which seemed to indicate Gretzky had discussed the gambling operation, according to law enforcement sources.

He looked drained in his brief session with the media after Thursday’s game, a 5-1 victory by the Dallas Stars.

His comments were brief, but he paused a couple of times and appeared emotional.

“Before we start, first and foremost, I wanted to say that, I am not going anywhere,” Gretzky said. “I am still going to coach the Phoenix Coyotes. I have done nothing wrong, nothing that has to do with anything along the lines of betting.

“Never happened. I am going to Italy on Sunday. I am going to be with Team Canada and be a part of the Olympic Games.”

“And thirdly, lastly, I will say it one more time as I said the other night. I didn’t bet. Didn’t happen. It’s not going to happen. Hasn’t happened. It is not something that I have done. So, in saying all that, I appreciate everyone’s support. ...

“I’ve felt like the last three days I have defended myself over something that absolutely, unequivocally never happened. That I was not involved with. So in saying all that, I hope you appreciate that three days have been horrible and I am just ...”

Gretzky paused again before resuming.

” ... too tired mentally and physically to talk any more about it. There’s nothing for me to talk about.

“And, if you have any questions for people who are involved in this, contact them.”

There was the surreal scene of Gretzky, coaching behind the bench, and statements from people in his life being handed out in the press box to the media. Instead of releases about point-scoring streaks and trades, there was one handed out on behalf of Jones in the first period and another later in the game from Coyote General Manager Michael Barnett.

Sources familiar with the case said that Gretzky’s close friend and former agent, Barnett, placed a Super Bowl bet with Tocchet but downplayed his involvement. It is believed that investigators told Barnett they wouldn’t be needing to speak with him again.

“I met with investigators from the state of New Jersey last night and answered all of their questions honestly and in their entirety,” Barnett said in a statement. “They informed me that my conduct in no way violated either federal or state laws. Due to the ongoing nature of their investigation, I can’t comment any further at this time.”

Assistant coach Barry Smith spoke about the effect the crisis has had on the relatively youthful team, the organization, and finally, Gretzky, the face of the Coyotes.

“It’s a constant drip on this poor man,” he said. “There was no sun yesterday. That’s for damn sure.

“He’s an amazing man who can put a lot on his shoulders.”