The hockey world mourns Gord Downie, but his music will live on at the rink

Canadian women’s hockey star Hayley Wickenheiser says the death of Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie feels like the loss of a teammate.

She says the band’s music was “a theme that ran through my entire hockey career and every team I’ve ever played on.”

Downie, who announced last year he had brain cancer, died Tuesday night.

The hockey world is remembering him today for his love of the game and tributes to it through his music.

WATCH BELOW: Canadians from across the country react to Gord Downie’s death

2:44 Canadians react to passing of The Tragically Hip front man and Canadian icon Gord Downie

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The NHL tweeted its condolences, adding that Downie’s “music and love for hockey will echo through arenas forever.”

The Hip celebrated Canada’s favourite game in numerous songs, including Fireworks and Fifty-Mission Cap.

Those tracks have both become standard on arena playlists, not only around the NHL but throughout Canada, from the junior A level to house league.

READ MORE: ‘Our buddy Gord’: A heartbroken Canada mourns Gord Downie

Several current and former NHL players took to Twitter to pay tribute to Downie, many recalling how Hip songs were staples of the dressing room.

“Those songs were constantly in our room,” Wickenheiser said in an interview. “I remember many times as a team we’d be jumping around singing whether it was ‘Courage’ or whatever song it might have been. They were part of the fabric of what our team was. I kind of feel we lost a teammate almost.”

WATCH: Toronto Maple Leafs pay tribute to Gord Downie

0:52 Toronto Maple Leafs pay tribute to Gord Downie

A devoted Boston Bruins fan, Downie sat alongside Bobby Orr at a playoff game last spring.

Doug Gilmour, a fellow Kingston, Ont., native, said he was heartbroken to hear the news.

“Few Canadians touched this country like Gord Downie,” he wrote. “Thank you for everything you gave us. My deepest condolences.”

READ MORE: Justin Trudeau delivers emotional, tearful tribute to Gord Downie

At the 2002 Winter Olympics, Downie pulled some members of the gold-medal winning Canadian women’s hockey team on stage during a concert at the University of Utah.

“Our whole team was on stage with Gord and the whole band,” recalled Wickenheiser. “Nothing crazy (or) fancy ever. It was just those guys usually playing and all the athletes, the hockey team, sitting around and having a beer and chit-chatting. Just the ultimate Canadian experience when you think of how humble and understated they were and he was, but just so brilliant in terms of the lyrics and the stuff that he put together that really resonated with athletes and our team through the years.”

Wickenheiser said his death is a “loss for Canada.”

“We all knew he didn’t have much time left,” she said. “It’s a big hole in the fabric of music and sport and who we are as Canadians.”

— With files from Donna Spencer