Gino: The Fighting Spirit of Gino Odjick

by Patrick Johnston

From veteran hockey reporter Patrick Johnston and NHL alumni Peter Leech comes the authorized biography of Gino Odjick.

In the 1980s and ’90s, National Hockey League games were very different from the nimble, skill-focused displays we see today. One of the greatest differences—and one of the sport’s more popular facets at the time—was the widespread presence of “enforcers”: hulking, battle-scarred players whose main task was to police the sport by chasing down and brawling with opponents who had broken unwritten codes determining which aspects of violence counted as dishonorable or unjustified.

When hard-hitting Vancouver Canucks player Gino Odjick emerged in the early 1990s, he quickly became one of the game’s most feared enforcers and revered teammates, a sign of a new era for the team, racking up 296 penalty minutes in the 45 games he played in his rookie season. Hailing from Kitigan Zibi, an Algonquin community near Maniwaki, Quebec, Gino was one of the few Indigenous players in the NHL at the time. But it was Gino’s ferocious play contrasted by his genuinely affable and openhearted personality off the ice that won him a special place in the hearts of Canucks supporters.

Yet legends often obscure the human stories behind them. Hockey journalist Patrick Johnston and Peter Leech look beyond Gino’s legendary persona, drawing on insights from family members, friends, and teammates to recount Gino’s early years in a loving household that was always ready to welcome foster children. Gino’s father, Joe, had suffered the lonely traumas of the residential school system, and the experience had instilled a commitment in the family to those who were less fortunate.

The book also details Gino’s eventual struggles with alcohol abuse, and how he responded by taking on the role of empathetic mentor to young Indigenous people, travelling from community to community to hear their stories and offer hope. He never wavered in this role, even as he confronted serious illnesses, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and the rare blood disorder that he survived for years longer than expected, but that eventually led to his death at age fifty-two.

Gino is a moving tribute to a beloved hockey legend.

Genres: Hockey, Canada, Biography

288 pages, Hardcover

Published October 7, 2025

About the author

Patrick Johnston is a family practice physician and a Christian evangelist who dreams of a Christian nation. He is founder of the Association of Pro-Life Physicians and the Coalition to Reform Education Funding, and he is the father of seven home-schooled children. He and his wife Elizabeth are committed to revival in the church and the restoration of biblical law and constitutional government in America. The Revolt of 2020 is the first novel of a series exploring the tension between liberty, tyranny, and godly resistance.

Reviews

[Marcy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This doesn't feel like Gino had any hand in any of this book unfortunately. I hope that there are some written words from the legend himself I highly recommend looking for his personal interviews. May he rest in piece.

[Mike Broderick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The step by step remembering of past hockey games ends at the 33 percent mark.

This story is much more than just hockey.



Last year we had From The Rez To The Runway. There was some positivity around that one.

This is another From The Rez to…….story.

Why do I like this one more? Hockey might be one reason. But, Gino is far more likeable than Christian and far more giving, especially to the Indigenous community.



It would be easy to see this as another hockey biography about a fighter who battled alcohol and died early.

But, it has more than that,

It is a true Indigenous success story. He battled addiction, mental health and a serious heart condition.

He gave back to anyone in need but especially the Indigenous community. Studying his brain, they found CTE, the story of fighting in the NHL and the effects on the brain still needs airtime. The connection between concussions and mental health is still picking up steam. The connections between concussions and Parkinson’s is particularly intriguing.



I would like to make this an 8, but I have to admit that the writing could be better. I found that in circling back to the story after going through his hockey career, it became somewhat repetitive. I understand that I might be the only one that rates it above a 7…..maybe the only one who finishes it. But, I want to continue to draw attention to the themes that we do appreciate in other books might be present in this hockey book. I really wanted the Kadri book to be that for us last year, but it really didn’t overtly bring the social justice issues to light in the book. This one does a better job of that

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book but it just didn't deliver. I think the main thing working against it was its structure... or lack thereof. I can tell that the authors tried to organize the book into themes in Gino's life rather than having it be purely chronological, and I appreciate the effort. But it just didn't work. the first 3 or 4 chapters are a speed run of his playing career. And then the rest of the book is roughly organized around several aspects of his personal life. Overall it felt very disjointed and confusing to read. The writing style was also quite conversational in places, which means long sentences with lots of commas - another factor that made this hard to read.
I grew up as a fan of Gino and this book does do a good job of capturing those glory days in his time as a Canuck as well as providing behind the scenes details about his life. It's too bad that Gino died before he could sit for interviews for this book because his voice is not as prominent in this as it could be. However, the interviews with family, friends, and teammates do help paint a good picture of his life.
3.5 stars rounded down.

[Enid Wray]

An interesting look at a hockey life lived.

As with just about every hockey memoir, this gets bogged down in the minutiae of detail that would only appeal to a true hard core hockey fan.

If that’s you, then enjoy. It’s not me though.

Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for granting me access to an early digital review copy.

DNF

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ Gi-no! Gi-no! Gino!