Gino

“Gino was the greatest teammate; he had such a huge heart and knew his role better than anyone in the league. Gino loved being a Vancouver Canuck and gave back to the community in so many ways. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and fans. This book will give people insight into his remarkable life.”—Geoff Courtnall“Johnston and Leech’s Gino proves to me that Gino Odjick stands among the most interesting, intriguing, and decent people ever to play the great game. A great read.”—Roy MacGregor“I had the pleasure of playing with Gino for parts of three seasons. As this book shows, he was a great teammate, loved everyone on his team and looked after all of us on the ice. Vancouver was lucky to have him. He is missed by many but never forgotten!”—Russ Courtnall“Gino provides a compelling account of the life of a beloved Vancouver Canuck. From his humble beginnings in Quebec to NHL stardom and beyond, Odjick was dedicated to the well-being of teammates and the Indigenous community. This is an excellent tribute to an exceptional man.”—Randi Druzin, author of Between the Pipes and Behind the Mask“As this book shows, Gino was the ultimate warrior and the greatest teammate you could ever ask for. The opposition knew Gino had your back, and I felt safe. Miss you my friend!”—Cliff Ronning“Gino was the heart and soul of the Canucks during some of our greatest heights, as well as our greatest adversities. Johnston beautifully describes how Gino got into the game and what he did once he got to the NHL. He was a pleasure to play with and a total pain to play against.”—Stan Smyl“Gino is a fitting tribute to one of the most authentic hockey players and people I have ever met. Fiercely proud of who he was and what he accomplished.”—John Garrett, former NHL player and sports broadcaster

Patrick Johnston is a sports journalist with the Province daily newspaper in Vancouver, BC. He specializes in hockey reporting and analysis.

Peter Leech is a former professional hockey player and member of the T’it’q’et Community Village of the St’at’imc Tribal Nation who specializes in working with First Nations communities and organizations, public and private sector companies, individuals, teams, and young adults (i.e., youth) in all aspects of life. His athletic accomplishments include a stint with the East Coast and Central Hockey Leagues. He also won a gold medal in boxing at the North American Amateurs. Peter’s athletic talents extended to soccer, where he played semi-pro soccer and worked in developing professional athletes both on and off the playing field. Peter is also a very proud and loving husband and father of three.