RIP Gino, More ice in Cape Breton, Stylin' with Desmond

Dear Hockey of Tomorrow reader,

Welcome to this week’s edition of Hockey of Tomorrow, the newsletter keeping you informed of anything hockey + tech + culture.

Apologies, we missed our send-out last week, but it was due to our coverage of the tremendously successful Carnegie Initiative Conference.

We'll be sharing the highlights about it in the next newsletter, but until then, here are the top stories from the past 7 days:

• Former NHL Tough Guy Gino Odjick Passes Away

• Christina Larney Advocating for Ice Time in Cape Breton

• Seven-year-old Hockey Player Desmond Garrett Is Becoming a Social Media Darling

Former NHL Tough Guy Gino Odjick Passes Away

The passing of NHL tough guy and Vancouver Canucks legend Gino Odjick was announced on the air during Monday’s game between the Vancouver Canucks and Carolina Hurricanes. He was 52 years old.

In 2014, Odjick announced that he had been diagnosed with amyloidosis, an incurable condition that causes abnormal protein accumulation in various body tissues and organs. He also shared that his heart was hardening and that his doctors were uncertain about his life expectancy.

Odjick played parts of 15 seasons in the NHL. He played for the Montréal Canadiens, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers, and most memorably, suited up for the Canucks for eight seasons.

He was born in a town called Maniwaki, just north of Gatineau in Québec. On the ice, he was known for his rough style of play as an enforcer, but he could also chip in the occasional goal.

Off the ice, he was known as a kind, charitable, and well-respected character. He also stayed true to his indigenous roots, giving back well after his playing career ended.

RIP Gino

Christina Larney Advocating for Ice Time in Cape Breton

Christina Larney is the former President of the Nova Scotia Women’s Hockey League. She’s helped push Halifax rinks to give women more ice time, something she first brought to the attention of local rinks 10 years ago. She says since that time, women’s hockey programs in the area have grown exponentially.

Now, Larney wants similar policies to be adopted by the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. At the moment, there is a shortage of ice time because the Games Complex in Cape Breton is being renovated.

Still, Larney remains hopeful. The silver lining in the clouds is that the complex is being renovated because Cape Breton won $250,000 to go towards the renovation thanks to Hockey Night in Canada’s Kraft Hockeyville contest.

Kudos to Larney for her advocacy. May the women’s game continue to grow!

Seven-year-old Hockey Player Desmond Garrett Is Becoming a Social Media Darling

Seven-year-old Desmond Garrett is from the suburbs of Indiana. He plays the game regularly, attends ECHL games cheering on his hometown Indy Fuel, and regularly shows up to the rink as the best dressed player in the building.

He clearly loves the game. That’s why his father Adam takes him to games, has him playing for the Fuel’s junior program in the winter, and keeps him playing roller hockey in Chicago in the summer.

It’s too early to tell if Desmond is going to grow up to be a professional hockey player someday, but the NHL likes his style. He’s currently featured in an NHL commercial titled “The Next Golden Era Is Now”. He was also one of 15 people selected for the NHL Fan Skills class of 2021 for his passion and ability to play the game.

When he’s not suiting up for either one of his winter or summer programs, Garrett is skating on synthetic ice in his garage and working on his game, or attending other games to meet players, scouts, and coaches.

The kid's got style, that's for sure.

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