SOURCE: Canada.com

A National Hockey League investigation into former NHLer Rick Tocchet's illegal gambling activity has provided no evidence that Tocchet or any other NHL player has bet on the league or its games.

The findings of the independent investigation were announced Thursday afternoon during a press conference in New York.

Tocchet, an assistant coach with the Phoenix Coyotes, was linked to an illegal bookmaking operation nearly two years ago. The operation ran for five years, before a police investigation, dubbed Operation Slapshot, broke up the ring in February of 2006.

Tocchet, along with two other men, including New Jersey State trooper James Harney, were arrested in the case.

Tocchet plead guilty in May to conspiracy and promoting gambling and was sentenced in August to two years' probation.

"While we have confirmed that a small group of current and former NHL players occasionally placed bets with James Harney, which by itself was not illegal under New Jersey State law, there is no evidence that any of these individuals ever placed a bet on hockey or participated in any other way in the bookmaking operation that was ultimately acknowledged to be illegal," said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

"Moreover, there is no evidence that anyone, including Mr. Tocchet, did anything that in any way or at any time comprised the integrity of NHL hockey or any NHL hockey game."

Bettman also announced today that Tocchet would be reinstated on Feb. 7, 2008, two years after he requested an indefinite leave of absence as a result of the police investigation.

In conducting his review, attorney Robert J. Cleary interviewed more than 100 current and former NHL players, team employees and officials.

Police indicated the bookmaking ring processed more than 1,000 wagers on professional and college sports, and wagers exceeded the $1.7 million US mark in a 40-day period. The bookmaking operation was based in New Jersey and Philadelphia.

Harney was sentenced to five years in state prison, while James Ulmer was sentenced to two years' probation.