Ethan Bear reacts to the passing of Gino Odjick.

The hockey world was hit with some very sad news on Sunday when it was revealed that former National Hockey League enforcer Gino Odjick had passed away. Although Odjick had been suffering from a very serious illness since at least 2014, to see a beloved former athlete pass away at the young age of 52 resulted in many being shocked at the news.

Odjick, who was a member of the Algonquin indigenous tribe, wasn't just a beloved figure in the sport however but was also a trailblazer for many other indigenous players that would eventually make their way to the NHL.

Among those players is none other than Vancouver Canucks defenseman Ethan Bear, who on Sunday night reacted to the passing of Odjick which had occurred while Bear was on the ice. While it was no doubt sad news for Bear to receive after a big win over the Carolina Hurricanes, the young defenseman quickly found a silver lining when he expressed his belief that Odjick had likely been looking over his shoulder during the game.
Alqonquin
"I heard I scored right after he passed so I think that's pretty powerful," said Bear after the game. "It was meant to be. Maybe he was there for me on that shot."

As for what Odjick had meant to him as a player, Bear once again had some lovely words to share about the man who would become known as The Algonquin Assassin.

"Everybody knew who Gino Odjick was growing up," admitted Bear. "He was definitely one of the first indigenous players to make a trail for the rest of us. Whenever you lose a legend like that and honestly a big influence in the native community, it's tough."

While the passing of Odjick at the young age of 52 is tragic and there's simply nothing that can change that, it is beautiful to see that there are players like Ethan Bear that are not only a part of the legacy that Odjick leaves behind, but that will also continue to honor his memory.