Ken Dryden, Hall of Fame goaltender and six-time Stanley Cup champion with the Montreal Canadiens, has passed away at age 78 after a battle with cancer, the team announced Friday.
Idman.biz, citing Reuters, reports that a key figure in Montreal’s 1970s dynasty, Dryden also won the Vezina Trophy five times and earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in his rookie season.
Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Dryden played only eight NHL seasons, retiring at 31 to pursue law, writing, teaching, broadcasting, and later serving as Toronto Maple Leafs president from 1997-2003. He was a standout for his intellect off the ice, including his role as color commentator during the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” broadcast.
Drafted by Boston in 1964 but traded to Montreal, Dryden made his NHL debut in 1971, immediately helping the Canadiens win the Stanley Cup. He returned after a brief hiatus to lead Montreal to four consecutive Cups before retiring in 1979.
Dryden was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983, served in the Canadian House of Commons, and was named to the NHL’s 100th Anniversary Team in 2017. Canadiens owner Geoff Molson and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman praised him as an exceptional athlete, leader, and gentleman whose influence extended beyond hockey.
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