Pavel Bure speaks about former Canucks teammate Gino Odjick

Pavel Bure was a superstar, a highlight-reel goal-scorer who would end up in the Hall of Fame. Gino Odjick was an enforcer, a fourth-line tough guy that had to fight for everything he got.

Bure scored 60 goals in a single season twice. Odjick scored 64 goals in his entire career.

The Russian-born Bure was from Moscow, one of the largest cities in the world. Odjick, meanwhile, grew up on an Algonquin reserve outside the town of Maniwaki, Quebec, which has a population of under 5,000 people.

And yet they were the best of friends.

One of hockey’s great odd couples, their friendship was obvious. When Bure had his jersey retired by the Canucks in 2013, just one former teammate joined him on the ice at Rogers Arena: Gino.

“Gino, I don’t know anyone with a bigger heart than you,” Bure said at the time. “You are a legend and a true friend.”

Pavel Bure on his friendship with Gino Odjick (during Bure’s #Canucks jersey retirement in 2013):

“Gino, I don’t know anyone with a bigger heart than you… You are a legend, and a true friend.” pic.twitter.com/KgQD3wtnxm

— Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) January 18, 2023

Bure spoke to Russian outlet Sport Express on Monday, following the death of his friend.

“Gino’s departure is a huge loss,” Bure said, translated from Russian. “For me personally, for Vancouver, for the entire hockey world. He was a unique player that everyone loved. But first and foremost, he was a true friend. My real friend.

“52 years old is a very young man.”

The thing that Gino and Pavel had in common was that they were outsiders, playing pro hockey while adjusting to a new language and culture in Vancouver.

Odjick broke into the league in 1990 and was ready to protect Bure when the young Russian made his NHL debut in 1991. The two players even played together on the same line for long stretches.

“Gino was selfless, always ready to help on the ice,” Bure added. “He did not spare himself for the sake of his teammates, helped them, protected the guys from his team. He was a tough guy — it’s a very hard hockey job.

“But he was exactly the same in real life. Always helped friends. Gino was very friendly, funny, loved life. Huge loss.”

This was a special moment. Gino Odjick gets saluted by #Canucks fans when introduced at Pavel Bure's jersey retirement ceremony in 2013. pic.twitter.com/siTCPeSUEt

— Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) January 18, 2023

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