Former NHL forward Gino Odjick has died. He was 52.
Odjick died of a heart attack, according to long-time friend Peter Leech, who was with Odjick when he collapsed prior to an appointment at a medical clinic.
“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,” Leech told Postmedia by phone.
“He collapsed in the clinic, thank god the nurses were there. They worked on him for 45 minutes,” Leech told Postmedia. “It was tough to watch.”
In 2014, Odjick was diagnosed with Al amyloidosis, a rare blood disease that caused abnormal protein deposits to coat and harden his heart. He was given weeks to months to live, but after receiving an experimental treatment in Ottawa he continued to beat the odds and by 2017, announced that he was in remission.
The rugged winger was a fan favourite in Vancouver, where he played eight of his 12 NHL seasons and served as the team’s enforcer. Odjick also had stints with the New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers and Montreal Canadiens. In 605 regular-season games, Odjick compiled 64 goals, 173 points and 2,567 penalty minutes.
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