Former Quebec hockey player Gino Odjick has died at the age of 52.
Her sister Dina revealed the sad news early Sunday evening on her Facebook account. The Vancouver Canucks, the team with which Odjick has played the majority of his NHL career, confirmed it a few minutes later.
It is through his robustness that the native of Maniwaki has especially made his mark in hockey. First in the QMJHL, when he accumulated 558 penalty minutes in two seasons with the Laval Titan. Then in the NHL, where his 2,567 minutes spent in jail still place him today at 17e rank in the history of the circuit. During his 605-game career spanning 13 seasons in the 1990s and early 2000s, he was one of the NHL’s most feared brawlers.
Recognized more for his punches than for his points, he nevertheless demonstrated a certain attacking flair, scoring 16 goals in 1993-1994.
After nearly eight seasons with the Canucks, he was traded in March 1998 to the New York Islanders. He then temporarily aligned himself with the Philadelphia Flyers, before ending his career with the Montreal Canadiens. He quickly became a favorite of Quebec fans, but did not play again after the 2001-2002 season.
Through his Twitter account, the Habs expressed their condolences to the family and loved ones of Gino Odjick. “Thank you for all the beautiful memories, Gino,” it added.
More details to come.