Canucks: Bond between Gino Odjick and Pavel Bure was one for the ages

The acknowledgement and adulation afforded Gino Odjick after his passing Sunday has been widespread and welcomed.

Former players have chronicled how the legendary Vancouver Canucks enforcer became a key cog in the room and on the ice with his toughness, humble demeanour and humorous ability to respond to a prank with a good one-liner.

However, somebody was missing in all this.

Odjick formed a special bond with Pavel Bure. They were young guys with big National Hockey League aspirations and became best friends and roommates. Bure spoke to Sport Express in Russia on Monday and the English translation of his response to his best friend succumbing to a heart attack at age 52 was telling.

“Gino’s departure is a huge loss,” said Bure. “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.”