The Algonquin Assassin
Wayne Gino Odjick was a Canadian professional hockey player who played in the NHL for twelve seasons from 1990 to 2002. He began his NHL career in Vancouver, being drafted 86th overall by the Canucks in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft. Odjick would later play for the New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers, and Montreal Canadiens. Gino endeared himself to the fans as he relished his enforcer role; because of this, he was nicknamed “The Algonquin Assassin” and “Maniwaki Mauler.”
Gino Odjick made an immediate impact on Vancouver Canucks fans. He was a charismatic player on and off the ice and played a spirited enthusiastic style which endeared him to the fans. He wasn’t an exceptionally skilled player, but he made up for his lack of skill with hard work and a love for the game.
Odjick spent most of his NHL playing career with the Vancouver Canucks, where he played eight seasons. For a time, he played on a line with Canucks superstar Pavel Bure, registering career a high 16 goals and 13 assists for 29 points. In six of those years, he had over 200 penalty minutes and twice eclipsed 300 minutes. Earning his moniker, The Algonquin Assassin.
Thirty-five games into the 1997-98 season, Odjick was traded to the New York Islanders for tough guy Jason Strudwick. Odjick would play in Long Island from 1998-2000 before being traded to the Philadelphia Flyers. He would finish his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens, retiring from NHL hockey prematurely after being struck in the back of the head with an errant puck and suffering a concussion during a pre-season practice. The Canadians would later suspend him for failing to report Utah’s minor-league AHL team. Odjick retired from professional hockey shortly thereafter.
Gino Odjick sits at 17th on the NHL’s All-Time penalty leaders list with 2567 minutes, three shy of Willi Plett and five ahead of Matthew Barnaby. He spent 2127 of those minutes serving penalties for the Vancouver Canucks. In a memorable moment from the past, a five-year-old Milan Lucic once had a play fight with Gino Odjick at the Pacific Coliseum during a Canucks practice.
Gino Odjick passed away from a rare terminal heart condition, Al amyloidosis. The condition slowly hardens the heart over time. Odjick died of the disease on January 15, 2023.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1987–88 | Hawkesbury Hawks | CJHL | 40 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 167 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1988–89 | Laval Titan | QMJHL | 50 | 9 | 15 | 24 | 278 | 16 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 129 |
| 1989–90 | Laval Titan | QMJHL | 51 | 12 | 26 | 38 | 280 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 110 |
| 1990–91 | Milwaukee Admirals | IHL | 17 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 102 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1990–91 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 45 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 296 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 1991–92 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 65 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 348 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1992–93 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 75 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 370 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993–94 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 76 | 16 | 13 | 29 | 271 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 1994–95 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 23 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 109 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 |
| 1995–96 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 55 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 181 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| 1996–97 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 70 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 371 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997–98 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 35 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 181 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997–98 | New York Islanders | NHL | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1998–99 | New York Islanders | NHL | 23 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 133 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1999–2000 | New York Islanders | NHL | 46 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 90 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1999–00 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 13 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2000–01 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 17 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2000–01 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2001–02 | Quebec Citadelles | AHL | 13 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2001–02 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 36 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 104 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 47 |
| 2004–05 | Horse Lake Thunder | AC | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | 4 | 7 | — |
| NHL totals |
Keep Your Stick on the Ice.
