Guest Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 This past Thursday, Sportstalk's Dan Russell interviewed Gino Odjick during the Canucks vs Oilers match. Suffice to say, I'm sure not too many people heard it, but I feel it's a terrific interview. As part of Russell's series of interviews in which he asks former players about their life-long hockey journey, he spoke with Gino for about half an hour. I've posted part of the interview's final segment in which Gino discusses his first game with the Canucks, his friendship with Pavel, his personal experience during the 1994 Stanley Cup run, and the special bond the Canucks had throughout those years. He also discusses his role as an enforcer, as well as the bitter end when Mark Messier and Mike Keenan imposed their vile influence on the team. He had some interesting things to say about that: Enjoy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primus099 Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuck nit Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Enjoyed what he said about Pat Quinn and how he changed his players lives. Messier: Canuck killer. Keenan: A hole / Messier lap dog.Told Pavel he would trade Gino and then got rid of Gino when Pavel had an argument with him. Keenan tore apart Linden and Messier sat there and allowed it to happen(as the new Canucks Captain). Gino told Messier he would punch him out. How or why Canucks ownership ever put up with the dismantling of the organisation with these two ugly humans at the helm is the 100 million dollar question. Talk about out to lunch ownership. We are all Canucks franchise killers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boudrias Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 I was at a Canucks game in the Saddledome, must of been in '90 as it was pre-Bure. Never forget it as only two Canucks showed up that night Trevor Linden and Gino Odjick. Both those players brought strengths to the roster that made them special. Odjick's comment about how Linden played injured on a regular basis is another thing about the greats that fans tend to forget about. Fans should reflect on the courage that it took for Rick Rypien to play his game where he challenged players who weighed 25 to 40 pounds more than he. Listen to Odjick's talk about his rounds with Brown to get a feel of what that meant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
menace Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 I was at Gino's first game and it was a mindblower!. There were some tough customers on that Blackhawks team. Dave Manson and The Grim Reaper as well as Bob Probert.Everybody in the PNE could not believe how tough Gino was that night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoneypuckOverlord Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Please don't remind me of the Messier era. Brian Burke could have done a better job too. He kept his tough man stance on the Bure situation. To be honest if the Canucks hired Mike Gillis in 1998 instead of Brian Burke, there is a small chance Bure might have remained A Canuck. on top of that, we might have a Stanley cup already. I can't believe Brian Burke didn't take the Brian Holzinger and a 1st round pick for Messier trade offer back in 1999. please dont bring back the Keenan days. Odjick said it best when he was traded for Jason Strudwick "I got traded for a no name" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake Doctor Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Love Gino, and also his humble personality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake Doctor Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Keenan and Messier should have been punched out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rypien.4.Ever Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Gino told Messier he would punch him out. My God, I already loved Gino but my respect just shot up to a near Trevor Linden level respect-boner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dabakes Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Thanks for posting that, helps to remind me why I hate Messier so much and boy do I wish Gino had dropped him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogbyte Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Awesome stuff, I'll never forget that Blackhawks game. Epic. Can't believe this but I think I hate Messier more than I did yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amish Rake Fighter Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 great interview...always pisses me off when something gets me thinking about the Keenan/Messier years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHIPS Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 The best parts starts at 13:00. Great interview. I hate Messier & Keenan even more now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boudrias Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Wasn't Keenan the coach in NY in '94? Messier the Captain. Oh and Sportsnet's Kpyreos(?) as well. Other than the fact that the NHL stole that CUP from us I have even more reason to be PO'ed all over again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Industrious1 Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Quite the trip down memory lane listening to Gino talk about the nineties and how things went down when Quinn's protective wing was removed from the players who obviously revered him not only as a hockey personality but also as a mentor in life. Still hurts hearing about Keenan berating Canucks legends like Bure and Linden. Ugh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralphwiggum Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 It's good when people are honest, and Gino Odjick is one of those people who are honest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonoman Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Thanks so much for posting WW. Was mentioned that Gino was in top 30 favourite Canucks, but IMO is probably top 10. The Iron Mike era is without a doubt, the darkest time of the Canucks history ( the mid-eighties teams were a ray of sunshine compared to Keenan and Messier) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coconuts Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Thanks for posting! Keenan and Messier tore this organization apart for a while.. My respect for Gino just shot up again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erkayloomeh Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 shocking. i didnt know this stuff happened. Why the heck is messier so revered as a leader? Isnt that the opposite of being a leader? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-DLC- Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 I'm going to take time to listen to this at work tomorrow....Gino was a favourite of mine. My Mom actually helped teach him to play poker...he was such a nice (polite) guy. A contrast to the brute on the ice who could take faces off. The Pat Quinn era was special (had the great honour of meeting him back then too). It felt like a real "family" atmosphere...the carnivals they had were cool. Dunk Gino in the dunk tank. Good memories...I refuse to let Messier and Keenan taint mine. They were just a blip on the radar... Thanks for posting, WW...really looking forward to this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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