Operation Slapshot is the
code name of an undercover police operation, spearheaded by
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
state police, against an illegal nationwide gambling ring.
Details
The operation was made public on February 6, 2006.
Rick Tocchet
Richard Tocchet (; born April 9, 1964) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. Playing as a right winger, he played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Los Angel ...
, an assistant coach for the
Phoenix Coyotes, a team in the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
, and
Janet Jones
Janet may refer to:
Names
* Janet (given name)
* Janet (French singer) (1939–2011)
Surname
* Charles Janet (1849–1932), French engineer, inventor and biologist, known for the Left Step periodic table
* Jules Janet (1861–1945), French psych ...
, the wife of ice hockey and NHL great
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...
, were among those under investigation or indicted with charges pertaining to the operation. Also under investigation was suspended
state trooper James Harney, who was allegedly Tocchet's partner in the operation.
The investigation also referred to the possibility of an NHL team owner, half a dozen active NHL players, and other coaches and team staff members being involved in this investigation.
As of February 8, 2006, two more names were mentioned as people implicated by law enforcement officials:
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainm ...
center
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
*Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...
Jeremy Roenick
Jeremy Shaffer Roenick
( ; born January 17, 1970) is an American former professional ice hockey player who played the majority of his career in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 8th overall in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft by the Chica ...
, and
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
center
Travis Green.
The ring was said to allegedly have ties to the
Bruno-Scarfo crime family, which has a base of operations in and around
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
and southern New Jersey.
Pleas and sentences
On August 3, 2006, former New Jersey state trooper James Harney pleaded guilty to conspiracy, promoting gambling and official misconduct, and promised to help authorities with their case against Tocchet and others. Harney said that he and Tocchet were 50–50 partners in the betting ring. Harney was sentenced to six years in prison on August 3, 2007.
On December 1, 2006, James Ulmer, 41, of
Swedesboro, New Jersey pleaded guilty to conspiracy and promoting gambling, and agreed to cooperate with authorities.
On May 25, 2007, Tocchet pled guilty to conspiracy and promoting gambling and was placed on probation for two years for his role in Operation Slapshot, and avoided jail time. He was allowed to return to active duty in February, provided he refrains from gambling in any way in the future. He must also submit himself to NHL-NHLPA doctors to see if he has an issue with compulsive gambling.
References
{{Sports Corruption Scandals
2005–06 NHL season
Sports betting scandals
Ice hockey controversies
Gambling in the United States