A farewell to Gino Odjick tops our 10 most-read sports activities tales of 2023

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Gino Odjick resonated with the followers, and with our readers.

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The bruising winger performed his final recreation with the Vancouver Canucks in 1998, however his sturdy type on the ice, sense of humour and beneficiant manner made him perpetually a fan favorite.

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He died Jan. 15 on the age of 52 of a coronary heart assault after a prolonged sickness. And reporter Patrick Johnston’s story of his passing wound up being the top-read sports activities story in The Province and The Vancouver Solar for 2023 in accordance with Parse.ly, which tracks newspaper content material analytics.

“He was a pal to me and to you and to all his followers there in B.C. and all through North America. He was a really particular particular person on the ice with what he needed to do, however off the ice he was one of the vital kindest human beings that I’ve met and performed with,” longtime Canuck participant and govt Stan Smyl stated.

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Odjick’s longtime pal Peter Leach detailed to Johnston how Odjick died of a coronary heart assault whereas at a Vancouver medical clinic for wound care associated to a different situation. In keeping with Leach, Odjick collapsed moments after being known as in for his appointment. Firefighters and paramedics arrived to help nurses. 

“They labored on him for 45 minutes,” Leach stated. “It was powerful to look at.

“We knew at the present time was going to return. We didn’t know when. We have been hoping a lot later.”

Lots of of mourners stuffed the Musqueam Indian Band group centre on Feb. 4 to have a good time Odjick, as detailed in reporter Sarah Grochowski’s story. 

Odjick was identified in 2014 with amyloidosis, a uncommon coronary heart situation. 

Former Canuck teammate Dave Babych advised the gang that day that a health care provider had advised him “to say our goodbyes,” as a result of “Gino was going residence to Quebec and received’t make it again to Vancouver.”

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“Certain sufficient, he got here again. It was a beautiful shock,” Babych stated.

Musqueam’s Carl Level additionally advised mourners: “Gino gave loads of us rez youngsters somebody to look as much as. When all of our buddies needed to be the following Pavel Bure, right here on the rez, we needed to be like Gino.”

Listed here are the remainder of our prime tales for 2023:

Swiss able to ditch Jake Virtanen after fracas with teammate (Feb. 7)

What occurred: In keeping with a report in Swiss newspaper Le Matin, former Canuck Jake Virtanen was about to be launched by Swiss second division workforce EHC Visp after having a bodily altercation with teammate Daniel Eigenmann on the bench close to the top of a recreation.

Eigenmann, in accordance with Le Matin, went to administration on behalf a number of gamers and advised them “it’s him or us.” The report additionally characterised Virtanen as an unpopular teammate.

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Virtanen, now 27, was the No. 6 total decide within the 2014 NHL Draft by the Canucks and the Abbotsford product was pegged as an influence ahead in ready. He was by no means capable of finding an consistency with the Canucks and he was purchased in the summertime of 2021 after totalling 55 objectives in 317 video games. 

He went to the KHL to attempt to rebuild his recreation, however like many North Individuals within the league he got here residence when Russia invaded Ukraine in late February 2022. He stood trial for sexual assault that summer season. He was discovered not responsible by a jury.

He obtained a tryout with the Edmonton Oilers forward of the 2022-23 season, however couldn’t stick, which led to going to Switzerland,.

The follow-up: Virtanen left Visp and completed the season with the Fischtown Pinguins, a workforce in Bremerhaven, Germany. And, as relayed in Feb. 17 by Johnston, Fischtown GM Andre Prey recommended to native newspaper Nordsee-Zeitung that Virtanen’s departure from Visp was overblown, explaining that “it’s not honest in charge him for being the only perpetrator.”

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Virtanen is enjoying with Fischtown within the German league once more this season and eventually depend had six objectives and 18 factors by means of 26 video games. His teammates there embody ahead Alex Friesen, 32, who performed a single recreation with the Canucks in 2015-16 as a part of four-year flip with the group.

Ex-Vancouver Big Milan Lucic on depart from Boston Bruins after alleged home incident (Nov. 18)

What occurred: WCVB-TV in Boston reported that Lucic was arrested after a “home incident,” and the Bruins launched an announcement that acknowledged a “state of affairs involving Milan Lucic,” and that he was taking “an indefinite depart of absence from the workforce.”

“The group takes these issues very severely, and we are going to work with the Lucic household to supply any help and help they might want,” the assertion learn.

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Lucic, 35, had re-signed with the Bruins this low season. The East Vancouver product received a Stanley Cup in 2011 with the Bruins over the Canucks, and he received a Memorial Cup in 2007 with the Vancouver Giants on the Pacific Coliseum.

The follow-up: A Nov. 20 Postmedia story by Mike Raptis had additional particulars. In keeping with the police report, Lucic was arrested on suspicion of assault on a member of the family, which carries a most penalty of 2½ years in jail.

The police report stated Brittany Lucic advised police on the phone that her husband tried to choke her. When officers arrived, she stated Milan had pulled her hair however didn’t attempt to strangle her. She declined a suggestion of medical remedy.

Days later he pleaded not responsible days. A pretrial listening to was set for Jan. 19.

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Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet is heading again to TV (Could 4)

What occurred: Tocchet was set to do a visitor spot with TNT’s NHL broadcast workforce in the course of the NHL playoffs. He had been working with TNT earlier than coming to the Canucks. His final look got here in January, 4 days earlier than it was introduced that he would take over Canuck teaching duties from Bruce Boudreau. The rumours have been rampant about him coming to Vancouver.

“I’ve identified Jim Rutherford and Patrik Allvin for lots of years. I’ve talked to them, however I’ve talked to them for years about every little thing. However I’m right here,” he stated that day.

He first joined TNT for the 2021-22 season.

The follow-up: TNT had enjoyable along with his return, placing collectively a skit the place everybody pretended to not know who he was. He then joined the Canucks behind the bench and we’re all nonetheless having fun with that journey to complete the yr and have nice anticipation for 2024.

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‘Disgusted’: Bruce Boudreau fired — and Canucks followers are livid (Jan. 22)

What occurred: The Canucks introduced they have been firing Boudreau and bringing in Tocchet. The workforce was 18-25-3, had misplaced 9 of 10 and had given up multi-goal leads in eight losses on the marketing campaign.

The choice had been lengthy rumoured and followers have been pissed off by that, going off the messages on X, previously referred to as Twitter, and Postmedia journalist Joe Ruttle collated these sentiments for the story.

“Embarrassing. The Canucks are a joke to the NHL. Treating Boudreau like this may by no means be forgiven or forgotten,” Pietro DiSante wrote.

Dougie Glatt wrote: “I hope everybody calls out the Canucks for the way unprofessional they’ve dealt with this example. #Selltheteam.”

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The follow-up: All appears forgiven. The Canucks are crusing alongside in Tocchet’s first full yr on the helm. Boudreau, in the meantime, was not too long ago named bench boss of the Workforce Canada facet for the Spengler Cup, the invitational event in Davos, Switzerland that runs Dec. 26-31.

No flowers for Marc-Andre Fleury: As soon as once more, the NHL journeys over its personal stick (Nov. 25)

What occurred: Columnist J.J. Adams wrote about how the NHL was a “recreation performed with stick and run by individuals with sticks firmly lodged somewhere else,” regarding the league balking on Minnesota Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury sporting his masks in warmup painted to honour his spouse, Veronique, who’s of Abenaki and Mi’kmaq descent. The league, which had already banned delight tape and commemorative jerseys of any type, stated it might advantageous Fleury and when he didn’t again down initially, they added that they might additionally advantageous workforce.

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The follow-up: Fleury defied the rule and wore the masks within the warmup and backed up that recreation. There aren’t any experiences of him or the workforce being fined.

Canucks: Bruce Boudreau’s remaining message for Elias Pettersson? (Jan. 21)

What occurred: Earlier than what a matchup with the Edmonton Oilers that might be his final recreation as coach of the Canucks, Boudreau advised star participant Pettersson “I want you to be particular tonight and he’d say ‘Yeah, I wish to be particular,’” Boudreau advised the media. “He likes to be challenged. He needs all of the matchups he can get, the place you suppose you want him probably the most. He’s been nice about it. A real professional.”

The follow-up: Pettersson has continued to flourish with Tocchet as coach. He wants a brand new contract. He’s a pending restricted free agent, on the lookout for a elevate from his present cap hit of $7.35 million.

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Vegas Golden Knights goalie Robin Lehner information for chapter, cites $50 million debt (Jan. 16)

What occurred: Lehner and his spouse Donya filed for chapter in Nevada, citing as much as US$50 million in money owed to dozens of collectors. The Las Vegas Evaluate-Journal reported the couple owed cash to no fewer than 50 individuals and firms. The pair estimated their belongings are price as much as $10 million and Lehner signed a five-year, $25 million contract with the Knights in 2020.

The follow-up: Lehner has been on long-term injured reserved because the opening of the season. He missed final yr after hip surgical procedure in August 2022.

Canucks: Trevor Linden slams former GM Jim Benning in Sportsnet 650 interview (Nov. 8)

What occurred: Former Canucks workforce president Linden stated in an interview on Sportsnet 650 that if former GM Benning “had his alternative, he in all probability would’ve taken a special participant,” than Pettersson within the 2017 NHL Draft.

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“I wasn’t proud of the way in which our course of was in 2016 and that was the primary yr Judd (Brackett) had taken over the reins and I didn’t like how our conferences went,” Linden stated. “So in 2017, I actually pushed laborious to have Judd actually step up and actually run a robust-type assembly in that we will actually put our ideas and emotions on the desk.

“I actually pushed laborious in that administration group to have Judd and his guys make the decide. And Judd — and provides Ronnie Delorme loads of credit score as nicely — they beloved this man and so, Jim wasn’t bought.”

The follow-up: Hours after the Linden interview, Sportsnet 650 producer Raja Shergill posted that he had spoken to Benning and he stated that “we have been all the time going to draft Pettersson. The entire group preferred Petey.”

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B.C. Lions QB Nathan Rourke makes a “massive time announcement’ — however it’s not what you suppose (Jan. 1)

What occurred: Rourke, who was coming off a stellar season with the Lions and figuring out with varied NFL golf equipment, teased on his social media platforms a day earlier he had a “massive time announcement.” It wasn’t a contract signing in any case, although. It was that he and associate Emily had gotten engaged.

The follow-up: Rourke introduced on his social media a few weeks later than he was signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars waived him this week and he was picked up by the New England Patriots.

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