Bob Duff

In hockey circles, Phoenix Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky is known simply as The Great One for his exploits on the ice.

He could also warrant another nickname for his ability to avoid taking the hit when scandal falls upon those around him.

The Teflon One.

Like the checkers who sought for two decades to thwart him, nothing bad, it seems, ever proves capable of sticking to Gretzky.

Could it be that this time, his luck will run out?

It’s all speculation at this point, the allegations that actor Janet Jones, Gretzky’s wife of the past 18 years, was among 12 people who are either NHL players or associated with NHL teams who made illegal bets via a sports bookmaking ring allegedly headed and financed by Coyotes assistant coach Rick Tocchet, 41, an 18-season NHL veteran and a close friend of the Gretzkys.

If proven in court, the charges could lead to as much as 10 years in prison for Tocchet.

"Everyone is innocent until proven guilty," Gretzky reminded us all.

Certainly, Gretzky’s reaction to suggestions that his wife was among Tocchet’s betting clients was puzzling, to say the least.

"Oh really," Gretzky said, smiling uncomfortably. "I don’t know.

"You’d have to ask her about it."

Not exactly a ringing endorsement, is it? Could it be that The Great One is willing to throw his wife under the bus in order to protect his own reputation?

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Gretzky clearly appeared uncomfortable discussing the matter, shrugging it off at first, insisting Tocchet would be behind the bench when the Coyotes played the Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday. Instead, Tocchet has taken a leave of absence from his duties as Gretzky’s assistant and won’t be allowed to return to work without first gaining permission from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

People close to Gretzky with the Coyotes were quick to step up and defend their friend and their organization.

"I’m surprised and I’m sure it will turn out to be a mistake," said Phoenix’s director of personnel Eddie Mio, who served as the best man at Gretzky’s 1988 wedding to Jones.

"This is brutal," added Phoenix pro scout Warren Rychel, another close friend of the Gretzkys. "Hopefully, there’s not too much to the case."

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It’s been a difficult and tragic year for Gretzky, who has attended the funerals of both his mother and his grandmother.

Gretzky hasn’t handled the Tocchet allegations with his usual calm demeanor. This entire episode appears to have caught him off balance. He’s looked out of sorts, not the typical Gretzky smoothness with which he normally deals with sticky situations.

It could be that there’s nothing to these allegations, although considering the forcefulness with which the New Jersey State Police came forth with these charges, that seems highly unlikely.

Perhaps Gretzky is truly dumbfounded, that he had no idea that one of his best friends and co-workers was operating a gambling ring and that his wife was one of Tocchet’s clients.

Again, that seems highly unlikely.

Perhaps Jones was laying the bets for her husband, but Gretzky was quick to deny that possibility. "I’m not a gambler," he said.