Tributes Pour in After Hockey Star Dies from Heart Attack

Wayne “Gino” Odjick, 52, who battled his way through a National Hockey League career and fought a debilitating disease for the final years of his life, has died.

Odjick, who played 12 seasons in the NHL for the Vancouver Canucks, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers, and Montreal Canadiens, according to the Montreal Gazette.

Dubbed a “beloved enforcer” by the Montreal Gazette, Odjick passed away Sunday of a heart attack.

“I was there for the whole thing. He had a heart attack, couldn’t recover from it. We knew this day was going to come, we didn’t know when. We were hoping much later,” said his friend Peter Leech, who had gone with Odjick to the clinic where he died.

“Unfortunately that big heart gave out,” he said. “He lived life, we always joked.”

Canucks Vice President Stan Smyl recalled Odjick fondly.

“He was a friend to me and to you and to all his fans there in B.C. and throughout North America. He was a very special individual on the ice with what he had to do, but off the ice he was one of the most kindest human beings that I’ve met and played with,” Smyl said.

“He was one of the funniest guys off the ice. He was always joking, always having a laugh in the dressing room. And that’s important to have,” Smyl continued. “If there was some pressure situations, Gino knew when to be able to make everyone laugh and ‘let’s be calm about this. We’ll get it done.’”