IIHF – Ken Dryden, 1947-2025

The hockey world is in mourning. Ken Dryden, one of the greatest goalies hockey has ever known, died in Toronto on Friday after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 78.

 

Dryden was the winning goalie in Game 8 of the historic 1972 Summit Series, a six-time Stanley Cup winner with Montreal, and one of the most astute hockey observers to have chronicled the game. He also played in the 1969 IIHF World Championship as well as the famed New Year’s Eve game in Montreal, a 3-3 tie with the Soviet Red Army. As well, he was part of history on March 20, 1971, when he and goalie-brother Dave played each other in an NHL game. It remains the only time brother-goalies have played against each other.

 

Born in Hamilton, Ontario, but raised in Toronto, Dryden was drafted by the Boston Bruins in 1964. Two weeks later, he was famously traded to Montreal with Alex Campbell for Paul Reid and Guy Allen, a deal no one at the time thought was the least bit important.

 

Dryden began his career at Cornell in NCAA hockey while he was studying to become a lawyer. He had an incredible 76-1-4 (W-T-L) record with the Big Red during the period 1966-69, winning the national championship at the end of his freshman season. Weeks after graduating, he represented Canada at the 1969 IIHF World Championship, playing two games behind starter Wayne Stephenson and finishing fourth. Dryden earned a shutout in his debut, a 1-0 win over the United States on 25 March 1969, and then was the losing goalie in a 4-2 decision to Sweden two days later.

 

Dryden had a sensational rookie pro season with the Montreal Voyageurs in 1970-71, and his entrance into the NHL couldn’t have been more dramatic. He came in at the end of that 70-71 season, playing the final six regular-season games for the Canadiens and winning them all. Despite his inexperience, he became the number-one goalie for the Habs during the playoffs and was brilliant as they knocked off the heavily-favoured Bruins in the opening round. Montreal went on to win the Stanley Cup, and Dryden was named winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy. A year later, he was named winner of the Calder Trophy, the first player ever to win these two awards in “reverse”…