We dont support this book: Family of late Gino Odjick disapprove of newly released biography

The French version launch of the book Gino: The Fighting Spirit of Gino Odjick took an unexpected turn after the hockey player’s family showed up, expressing their disapproval of the book. The event was held last week in Maniwaki, Que., in honor of the late NHLer who played 12 seasons. According to Tobias Odjick, one of Gino’s eight children, the family wasn’t invited to the event. He told APTN News that he went to the book launch to honour his father. “We don’t support this book, we don’t support the things that have been said in there,” said Tobias. “I think we all agree that this book was written without our consent, when he was past his death, where he can’t deny or say that he doesn’t want certain things in the book. “So I think that’s one of the reasons I’m here today in support for me, my brothers and sisters and for my father’s honour.” Youth from Kitigan Zibi were drumming and dancing in honor of Gino Odjick at the launch. Photo: Nangoonskeh Rose Jacobs/APTN. The biography was written by sports journalist Patrick Johnston and Peter Leech. Leech said he was close friends with Odjick for almost 30 years. The authors said that it dives deeper into the adversities Odjick faced with his mental and physical hardships up until the day he passed away in January 2023. Gino Odjick played for four National Hockey League teams over 12 seasons, most famously for the Vancouver Canucks where he played for eight seasons. He is admired for inspiring young Indigenous athletes after coming from such a small community. With Johnston’s enduring expertise in sports writing and Leech’s insight on Odjick on a personal level, the book focuses on Odjick’s hockey career and complex life experiences. Tobias said that his family did not give consent for this book to be written, and they were not given notice when it was coming out. Friends and family gathering at the event to reflect on the life of Gino Odjick. Photo: Nangoonskeh Rose Jacobs/APTN. Tobias said he and his family found out of its release through an Amazon advertisement for a pre order sale back in September. That’s when they tried to stop it from being released. The English version was released Oct. 7. Tobias said that there are parts of the book that should be kept private. “Our father had a huge heart and he cared for everyone, he loved everyone. I don’t want to take that away from him at all, but I think there’s some skeletons in that book that should not have been out there for the public eye to read about”, he said. Some of Odjick’s family took to social media over the week saying that the book is contentious and that it is causing the family pain. They called for a boycott. The authors weren’t at the event but Leech joined APTN over Zoom to discuss the book and address the family’s disapproval. “Some family, yes, are going to disagree with the book itself because they feel he wouldn’t have approved of it. Then there are other family members that were very much involved,” said Leech. “I don’t think he would agree with what’s, you know, going back and forth, I mean, I asked my family member, we’re not going to be negative, this is about Gino, this is not about us, this is about Gino.” Leech said he wanted the book to “humanize” Odjick and wanted people to know him beyond being a famous hockey player. He says he watched Odjick face many hardships throughout his life and wanted readers to understand what he endured while still being such a good person and role model. He said he spoke with Odjick before his death about making the book, encouraging him to share personal stories he thought were inspirational. He says he was reluctant due to his fear of the vulnerability of it but Leech says he reassured him that it is part of “being a human.” “Certain parts of the book, it kind of humanizes the struggles that he endured, and he endured a lot to be honest with you,” Leech said. “We could’ve provided a lot of other things that could’ve went into the book that really went in depth of what he was going through, but we did not,” he said. “We wanted to just provide enough so that people can understand what was happening to him as a person.” The French version of “Gino: The Fighting Spirit of Gino Odjick” on display for purchase at the event. Photo: Nangoonskeh Rose Jacobs/APTN. Odjick said he was proud to be from Kitigan Zibi. Dozens attended the event held at the Gino Odjick Sports Centre in Maniwaki, named in his honor. Odjick grew up playing hockey there, adjacent to his community. The gathering consisted of dancing, singing, drumming and a feast. The French version of the book was also available for purchase at the event. Many gathered to reflect on Odjick as their friend and family. His presence was abundant in the community. Those who knew him best took time to share memories of Odjick with one another, like Jan Cote, who is also from Kitigan Zibi. He was one of Odjick’s lifelong best friends, once even being teammates on a hockey team together as youth. Cote said he travelled to Indigenous communities across Canada and the United States with Odjick, observing his love for his culture and how he impacted so many people, especially youth. “Kids would look up to Gino, he inspired small-town kids to go, ‘we can do what Gino Odjick did’ because they knew him personally,” said Cote. “When they could see something that’s very tangible and say look at what this guy did, we know him, a lot of kids are related to him and they go, if this guy can do it then we can do it. “He was a really good person, everyone that knew him said they loved him because he was such a good guy. He would treat everybody with respect – He would treat me super well, whenever we’d go anywhere, he’d be, I was the priority, he would treat me like, I got to treat you better than I would treat myself.” Those closest to him said he always encouraged people to chase their dreams and for youth to stay in school. His younger cousin, Evan Tolley, was drumming for Odjick at the launch. “He always taught me, his favorite phrase was stay in school and don’t get out, that’s what gets in my heart is, I want to listen to my cousin to stay in school” said Tolley. “Before he passed away, he had given us a huge donation to the community – my cousin Gino was a very generous man and he loved to give back on what he had.” Leech said he wants the book to keep his memory alive for future generations to always have to look back on and to continue to be inspired by the hockey player who paved the way for Indigenous youth striving to become professional athletes. Tobias Odjick arrives at the book launch of a biography about his father. Photo: Rose Jacobs/APTN. Tobias is proud to be carrying on his father’s legacy, not only by playing for the Birmingham Bulls of the Southern Professional Hockey League, but by giving back to his community like his father did. “The impact on the community and the Indigenous community alone is something to be praised about, something that’s huge,” he said. “He made every little young native kid’s dream come to life. He made it to the NHL and when you look back at all the things he’s done and all the great things, the charities, everything, that’s something to be proud of. I’m proud to call him my father.” The force to be reckoned with on the ice for the Vancouver Canucks was remembered beyond that last week at the launching and more for his gentle nature and lasting impact on his community. Despite not being in support of the book, Tobias was pleased to attend in support of his father and to see so many people coming together to honor him. He said the ceremony was beautiful. “I think with our father’s honor, it’s great to honor him, it’s great to look back on what he’s done for the community, what he’s done for the Indigenous hockey world, for everyone, it’s great, we love that, we support him for that. But with this book, I don’t know if it does that.” Continue Reading