Legendary Canadiens Goaltender Ken Dryden’s Mysterious Final Battle Revealed
Ken Dryden’s name isn’t just etched in the annals of hockey history—it’s engraved deep into the soul of the game itself . He didn’t just play goal; he redefined what it meant to stand between the pipes for the Montreal Canadiens during their golden era in the 1970s, hoisting the Stanley Cup six times like they were mere trophies on a shelf. When I think about Dryden, I don’t just see a goalie with a mask and stick—I see a giant not only in stature at 6-foot-4 but in character, intellect, and influence that stretched way beyond the ice rink . His battle with cancer ended just recently, but the legacy? That’s immortal. This is a story of a man who was much more than an athlete—he was a scholar, a writer, a broadcaster, a team president, and even a government minister. Dryden’s life is a vivid tapestry, strikingly woven with grit, grace, and genius. If you want to understand the man behind the mask, the complexity of his brilliance, and the impact he left on hockey and Canada, you’re in the right place .
MONTREAL— Ken Dryden, the Hall of Fame goaltender who helped the Montreal Canadiens win six Stanley Cup titles in the 1970s, died Friday after a fight with cancer. He was 78.
The Canadiens announced his death.
“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.”
Mr. Dryden backstopped the NHL’s most successful franchise to championships in six of his eight seasons in the league from 1970-71 to ’78-79. He 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, while being a six-time All-Star.
“Ken embodied the best of everything the Montreal Canadiens are about,” Molson said.
Known for resting his blocker and glove hands on top of his stick in a relaxed manner that became one of hockey’s most recognizable poses, the 6-foot-4 Mr. 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. “Ken’s love for his country was evident both on and off the ice.”
Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983, Mr. Dryden was 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.
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,” Carney said. “Ken Dryden was Big Canada. And he was Best Canada.”
From Hamilton, Ontario, Mr. Dryden played three seasons at Cornell University from 1966-69, leading the Big Red to the 1967 NCAA title and finishing with a career record of 76-4-1.
He entered the NHL in 1971 and spent just six games in the crease before making his NHL postseason debut. He and Montreal upset rival Boston in the first round and beat Chicago in the final.
He then was a cornerstone of Canada’s 1972 Summit Series team that defeated the Soviet Union, starting 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,” Mr. 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 — after previously earning a law degree at Montreal’s McGill University.
After retiring as a player, he went into broadcasting and wrote “The Game,” one of the best known books about the sport, after publishing “Face-off at the Summit” as part of an accomplished career as an author. He was the color analyst alongside Al Michaels for the “Miracle on Ice” when the United States beat the Soviet Union and went on to win the gold medal at the 1980 Winter Olympics.
Mr. Dryden served as president of the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1997 through 2004 — a stretch accented by trips to the Eastern Conference final in both 1999 and 2002 — before resigning to enter politics. He ran for the federal Liberals in 2004 and was named minister of social development in Prime Minister Paul Martin’s Cabinet.
Mr. Dryden, who also taught at various universities across Canada, won reelection several times before losing in 2011.
He leaves his wife, Lynda, and their two children.
Brother Dave Dryden was a longtime NHL and WHA goalie. He died in 2022 at the age of 81.
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