Gino Ojik, a fan favorite who played eight seasons with the Vancouver Canucks, has died.
The news broke Sunday afternoon when his sister Deanna posted on Facebook.
“Our hearts are broken. My brother Gino Ojik has left us and gone to the spirit world,” she wrote.
Soon after, the 52-year-old’s death was announced live during the Canucks game broadcast.
Team chairman and manager Francesco Aquilini issued a statement expressing the organization’s condolences to Ojik’s family.
“Gino has been a fan favorite from the moment he joined the organization, putting his heart and soul into every shift on and off the ice,” Aquilini wrote.
“He inspired many and epitomized what it means to be a Canuck. Personally, he was a close friend and confidant, someone I could count on for advice and support. He will be greatly missed.”
Stan Smil, Vancouver Canucks vice president of hockey operations, was asked about the loss of his former teammate in an interview posted on social media.
“He was a friend to me, and he was a friend to you and all his fans here in British Columbia and across North America,” Smill said.
“He was a very special person – on the ice he did what he had to do, but off the ice he was one of the nicest human beings I’ve ever met and played with… That was Gino. His heart was in the middle of it all, all the time, not only for his teammates, but for his family, friends.”
Last year, Odjick’s plaque was unveiled at the BC Sports Hall of Fame. As he made his way to the stage, the crowd 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 of playing in the NHL, and to have my dream come true was just amazing,” Ojik said at the 2022 event.
“You don’t have to deal when you’re from a small First Nations community.”
Odjick, who is Algonquin from Kitigan Zibi near Maniwaki, Que., grew up playing hockey on First Nation outdoor rinks.
He would become one of the most feared players to lace up a pair of skates in the National Hockey League. Over eight seasons as a Canuck, Odjick established himself as one of the toughest players in the National Hockey League, racking up over 2,500 career penalty minutes.
Away from the ice, Ojik has always been a gentle giant, using his platform to inspire generations of Indigenous youth to pursue education.
This is a developing story. There is more.
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