Thursday, April 05, 2007

The wife of hockey great Wayne Gretzky says the intense media coverage of
her alleged involvement in an American gambling ring was an attempt to
"paint something that just wasn't true." In a story published in the May
issue of Chatelaine magazine -- the first in-depth interview with her since
the betting scandal made headlines in February 2006 -- Janet Gretzky said
the ensuing media scrutiny of her relationship with her husband and their
family was challenging. "It's unfair that Wayne and I have had a great
marriage for 20 years and a nice family, and the people in the media could
care less if they are trying to cause friction in your marriage, trouble in
your family, and make your kids feel a certain way," she told Chatelaine.
She said the couple's older children started to ask questions as media
coverage of the story grew. "We just explained to them that sometimes the
media blows things out of proportion," she told Chatelaine. Janet Gretzky's
name surfaced in a New Jersey state police investigation dubbed "Operation
Slap Shot." She was accused of allegedly placing thousands of dollars in
bets with a gambling operation authorities said was financed by Rick
Tocchet, an assistant coach with the Phoenix Coyotes, the team now coached
by Wayne Gretzky. Tocchet has been suspended from his job and faces up to 10
years in prison if convicted. The scandal rocked the NHL, erupting as Wayne
Gretzky, then the executive director of the Canadian men's hockey team, was
heading to the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. Janet Gretzky said
earlier in a statement that she had never placed any wagers on her husband's
behalf, and he has denied any involvement in the alleged gambling ring.
Gretzky, 46, put her acting career on hold to have children. Her film
credits include the 1983 movie Staying Alive, a sequel to Saturday Night
Fever, and The Flamingo Kid in 1984. She returned to the big screen earlier
this year in a walk-on role in the critically acclaimed Alpha Dog. The
Gretzkys live in a 1,672-square- metre home in a gated community just
outside of Los Angeles with four of their children: Paulina, 18, Trevor, 14,
Tristan, 6, and Emma, 4. During the NHL season, Wayne Gretzky lives in
Scottsdale, Ariz., the home of the Coyotes, but heads back to California for
weekend visits with his family. "We've done this for a couple of years now,
but I don't think we're going to be able to do it next year," Janet Gretzky
told Chatelaine. "This travelling back and forth is kind of getting to us."

She admitted to the magazine that moving would cause too much upheaval for
the older children, who enjoy their life in California.

Life in Los Angeles has allowed the family to keep a relatively low profile
that they likely wouldn't have had they relocated to Canada. But Janet
Gretzky told Chatelaine the exposure doesn't bother them.

"If you're a happy family, then it's fine. If you're an unhappy family,
you'll find reasons like those to get upset."

The Gretzkys' eldest son, 16-year-old Ty, attends a Minnesota prep school
known for nurturing promising young hockey players, including Pittsburgh
Penguins star Sidney Crosby.