The Montreal Canadiens announced that Ken Dryden, the Hall of Fame goaltender who helped win six Stanley Cup titles in the 1970s, has died after a fight with cancer. He was 78.
The team said Dryden’s family asked for privacy. A close friend appointed by the family contacted the organization, saying he died peacefully Friday at his home.
Dryden backstopped the NHL’s most successful franchise to championships in six of his eight seasons from 1970-71 to ’78-79.
“Ken Dryden was an exceptional athlete, but he was also an exceptional man,” Canadiens owner Geoff Molson said. “Behind the mask he was larger than life. We mourn today not only the loss of the cornerstone of one of hockey’s greatest dynasties but also a family man, a thoughtful citizen and a gentleman who deeply impacted our lives and communities across generations.”
Career Highlights
Dryden won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year, the Vezina as the best goalie five times and the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP in 1971. He was a six-time All-Star.
The 6-foot-4 goaltender became known for resting his blocker and glove hands on top of his stick. The relaxed pose became one of hockey’s most recognizable images.
Dryden retired at just 31 in 1979.
“From the moment Ken Dryden joined the Montreal Canadiens as a 23-year-old rookie in 1971, he made an immediate and lasting impact on the NHL, the Canadiens franchise and the goaltending position,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said.
Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983, Dryden finished 258-57-74 with a .922 save percentage, 2.24 goals-against average and 46 shutouts in just over seven seasons. He went 80-32 in the playoffs.
Beyond Hockey
From Hamilton, Ontario, Dryden played three seasons at Cornell University from 1966-69. He led the Big Red to the 1967 NCAA title and finished with a career record of 76-4-1.
Dryden entered the NHL in 1971 and spent just six games in the regular season before making his playoff debut. He and Montreal upset rival Boston in the first round and beat Chicago in the final.
He was a cornerstone of Canada’s 1972 Summit Series team that defeated the Soviet Union. Dryden started in goal in the decisive 6-5 victory in Game 8.
“I feel the history of that tournament, the legacy of that team just as strongly as all Canadian fans do,” Dryden told The Canadian Press in a 2022 interview. “It never goes away. It’s kind of like a good wine, I guess. Actually, the legacy of it grows.”
He also worked at a Toronto law firm while sitting out the 1973-74 NHL season. He’d previously earned a law degree at Montreal’s McGill University.
After retiring as a player, Dryden went into broadcasting and wrote “The Game,” one of the best known books about hockey. He was the color analyst alongside Al Michaels for the “Miracle on Ice” when the U.S. beat the Soviet Union at the 1980 Winter Olympics.
Executive and Political Career
Dryden served as president of the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1997 through 2004. The stretch included trips to the Eastern Conference final in both 1999 and 2002.
He resigned to enter politics. Dryden ran for the federal Liberals in 2004 and was named minister of social development in Prime Minister Paul Martin’s cabinet.
Dryden held onto his seat in Toronto’s York Centre riding in 2006 when the Liberals were ousted, and again in 2008. He lost in 2011.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney posted on social media he was “deeply saddened to learn of the passing of the Hon. Ken Dryden, a Canadian hockey legend and hall of famer, public servant and inspiration.”
“Few Canadians have given more, or stood taller, for our country. Ken Dryden was Big Canada. And he was Best Canada. Rest in peace.”
Dryden is survived by wife Lynda and their two children. Brother Dave Dryden was a longtime NHL and WHA goalie who died in 2022 at age 81.
