So Much for Rick Tocchet's Coaching Career

Operation Slap Shot has ended with two years probation for Rick Tocchet. The former assistant coach of the Phoenix Coyotes helped run a betting ring which took an estimated $1.7 million on football games. He was sentenced Friday on third-degree gambling charges.

Much of the frenzy surrounding the case originally focused on some of the alleged bettors, notably Wayne Gretzky's wife. But while operating a bookmaking racket is illegal in New Jersey, simply placing bets with one is not. So it appears the Gretzkys are guilty only of exceedingly poor judgment.

Should the conviction disqualify Tocchet from coaching again? Some say yes, others no.

But whether the guy deserves another chance is immaterial. For the NHL, Tocchet is now public relations poison. He won't get another shot because it would provoke too many nasty headlines. In light of the gambling scandal that has shaken the NBA, it's hard to imagine a scenario in which a convicted gambler gets behind an NHL bench.

Photo: The bookie in happier times. Rick Tocchet as a Flyer in 1990 (Mike Powell/Allsport/Getty Images)