Gino Odjick, a fan favourite who played eight seasons with the Vancouver Canucks, has died.
The news broke Sunday afternoon when his sister Dina posted to Facebook.
“Our hearts are broken. My brother Gino Odjick has left us for the spirit world,” she wrote.
Soon after, the 52-year-old’s death was announced live during the broadcast of the Canucks game.
Stan Smyl, the Vancouver Canucks’ vice-president of hockey operations, was asked about the loss of his one-time teammate in an interview posted on social media.
“He was a friend to me, and to you and all his fans here in B.C. and throughout North America,” Smyl said.
“He was a very special individual — on the ice he did what he had to do but off the ice he was one of the kindest human beings that I’ve met and played with … That was Gino. His heart was in the middle of it all, all the time, not just for his teammates but for his family, friends.”
Earlier this year, Odjick’s plaque was unveiled in the BC Sports Hall of Fame. As he made his way to the stage, those in attendance began chanting “Gino, Gino, Gino,” a chant that dates back to his first game with the Canucks in 1990.
“When you’re young, you always dream about playing in the NHL and for my dream to come true was just unbelievable,” Odjick said at the 2022 event.
“You’re not supposed to make it when you’re from a small First Nations community.”
Odjick, who is Algonquin from Kitigan Zibi near Maniwaki, Que, grew up playing hockey on outdoor rinks on the First Nation.
He would go on to become one of the most feared players to ever lace up a pair of skates in the National Hockey league. Over eight seasons as a Canuck, Odjick established himself as one of the National Hockey League’s toughest players — amassing over 2,500 penalty minutes in his career.
Away from the ice, Odjick has always been a gentle giant who uses his platform to inspire generations of Indigenous youth to pursue education.
This is a developing story. More to come.
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