Aug. 17 (Bloomberg) -- National Hockey League assistant coach and former All-Star player Rick Tocchet was sentenced to two years probation for his part in a sports gambling ring, the New Jersey Attorney General's office said in a statement.

Tocchet, 43, pleaded guilty in May to plotting with a New Jersey state trooper to promote a million-dollar gambling operation linked to sports figures and celebrities. He could have received up to five years in prison.

``Today's sentence reflects the fact that Mr. Tocchet is a first-time offender,'' Attorney General Anne Milgram said in the statement. ``But make no mistake, he is paying a heavy price for his foray into the world of illegal bookmaking. He must now live with the stigma and consequences of being a convicted felon.''

Tocchet was an assistant with the Phoenix Coyotes when New Jersey State Police broke up the ring in February 2006. He has been on a leave of absence since.

``While Rick Tocchet does not in any way wish to diminish the seriousness of his conduct, he believes that the sentence, a sentence virtually required by the terms of the deal agreed to by the state, appropriately reflects his level of culpability,'' Kevin Marino, Tocchet's lawyer, said in a statement. ``Mr. Tocchet is deeply sorry for the embarrassment his actions have brought to the NHL, his family and friends.''

NHL Probe

The NHL issued a statement saying it was now in a position to conclude its own investigation which is being headed by former U.S. Attorney Robert Cleary, the lead prosecutor from 1997-98 in the case against ``Unabomber'' Ted Kaczynski.

``Once the commissioner receives Mr. Cleary's report, it is probable that he will want to meet with Mr. Tocchet before making a determination,'' Frank Brown, the NHL's vice president of media relations, said in the statement.

The Coyotes said in a statement that Tocchet's sentencing was the ``next step in the process of the investigation'' by the NHL. The team said it would have no additional comment until the league's probe is completed.

The bookmaking operation was based in southern New Jersey and the Philadelphia area and took in millions of dollars in bets from across the country, including more than 1,000 wagers on professional and college football and basketball worth more than $1.7 million in a 40-day period, police said.

Authorities said Janet Jones, the wife of Wayne Gretzky, a Hockey Hall of Fame player and current Coyotes coach, was among those who placed bets with the ring. Jones has said she never made wagers with the ring and authorities have taken no action against her in the case.

James Harney, the 42-year-old state trooper, was sentenced to five years in prison on Aug. 3, a year after pleading guilty to conspiracy, misconduct and gambling charges.

A third man involved, James Ulmer, 42, pleaded guilty in December to conspiracy and promoting gambling for bringing in bets for the ring. He's scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 24, the attorney general's statement said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Bob Bensch in London at bbensch@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: August 17, 2007 13:21 EDT