Stanley Cup Heroes: Ken Dryden

No rookie made a more spectacular and unsuspecting NHL debut than Montreal Canadiens goaltender Ken Dryden.

The lanky Dryden spent the entire 1970-71 season in the American Hockey League, but received a late season call up in what was expected to be a chance to give a young goalie some apprenticeship behind established starter Rogie Vachon. It was standard with the Habs back then to serve a lengthy apprenticeship. It was part of their tradition.

Dryden watched the first game from the press box, and then played in the final 6 games of the regular season. He played spectacularly, only allowing 9 goals. People still expected Vachon to start the playoffs, but to everyone's surprise, the Canadiens started a rookie at such a critical point. It was even more daunting since Montreal opened the playoffs against Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito and the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins.

The first round series against Boston is now considered a classic. Dryden made spectacular save after spectacular save against the likes of Orr, Esposito and Johnny Bucyk. The Habs upset the defending champs 4 games to 3. Propelled by this feat, they went on to win the Stanley Cup themselves. It's hard to believe that any of this could have happened without Dryden, a veteran of only 6 games. He had a GAA of 3.00 in 20 games, and was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

The next season he would take over as the Habs starter, and won the Calder trophy as rookie of the year.

Full Ken Dryden Biography

Stanley Cup Heroes - Ken Dryden

No rookie made a more spectacular and unsuspecting NHL debut than Montreal Canadiens goaltender Ken Dryden.

The lanky Dryden spent the entire 1970-71 season in the American Hockey League, but received a late season call up in what was expected to be a chance to give a young goalie some apprenticeship behind established starter Rogie Vachon. It was standard with the Habs back then to serve a lengthy apprenticeship. It was part of their tradition.

Dryden watched the first game from the press box, and then played in the final 6 games of the regular season. He played spectacularly, only allowing 9 goals. People still expected Vachon to start the playoffs, but to everyone's surprise, the Canadiens started a rookie at such a critical point. It was even more daunting since Montreal opened the playoffs against Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito and the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins.

The first round series against Boston is now considered a classic. Dryden made spectacular save after spectacular save against the likes of Orr, Esposito and Johnny Bucyk. The Habs upset the defending champs 4 games to 3. Propelled by this feat, they went on to win the Stanley Cup themselves. It's hard to believe that any of this could have happened without Dryden, a veteran of only 6 games. He had a GAA of 3.00 in 20 games, and was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

The next season he would take over as the Habs starter, and won the Calder trophy as rookie of the year.

Full Ken Dryden Biography

Dryden vs. Dryden

It is March 20th. Something very special happened in NHL history on this date in 1971.

That night marked the first time two brother goaltenders played against each other as Dave Dryden played against his brother Ken Dryden. Ken at the time was a late season rookie call up who would later that year go on to lead the Montreal Canadiens to the Stanley Cup.

Buffalo coach Punch Imlach wanted a brother-against-brother match up right from the opening faceoff. His reasoning was that Dave had more NHL experience than Ken, and would give his team an edge against the powerful Habs that night. However Montreal wanted no part of that and started veteran starter Rogie Vachon instead. Upset at Montreal's unwillingness to allow NHL history to happen, Imlach made a late change and started Joe Daley in net instead of Dave.

With the Habs leading 2-0 in the second period, Vachon had to leave the game due to an injury. Of course Ken Dryden had to go into replace the injured veteran. Before the referee could drop the puck to resume the game, Imlach surprised all in the Forum by pulling Daley, and replacing the healthy goalie with Dave Dryden. Finally Imlach, always a showman, had the showdown he wanted from the beginning.

The game ended with Montreal winning 5-2. Ken allowed 2 goals on 13 shots, Dave allowed 3 goals on 20 shots.

Ken Dryden, Dandelions And Elementary School Memories

This is Ken Dryden.

Dryden is quite possibly the most interesting person in all of hockey history. Not only was he arguably the best goalie in hockey, at least of his era, but the Cornell educated puckstopper was also a lawyer, a best selling author, a business executive and a successful politician who once launched a bid to become Prime Minister of Canada.

But did you know his very first job was plucking dandelions?

When Ken was 10 years old his parents offered to pay him two pennies for every dandelion - roots and all - he picked out of the family's yard. A few days later he presented several baskets full of the weeds to his parents. After much counting, Mr. and Mrs. Dryden paid their son an amazing $81.68.

Ken used the money to buy a globe and an encyclopedia set.

I had completely forgotten about this story, though chances are I knew it off by heart back in elementary school. You see, this story came out of Fred McFadden's 1976 paperback called "Ken Dryden." It is a biography aimed at youth, and undoubtedly planted the seeds of hockey bios that I have come to love. This was one of the very few hockey books Uplands Elementary school had back in those days. I checked it out regularly, even though I had read many times before.

The funny thing is I had not seen that since exiting the school way back when. That is funny, because I have since become an aficionado of hockey books, with over 1200 in my collection. That really is amazing, given the book's significance in my life as a hockey fan. I wanted to see it again.

Yet, this forgotten Ken Dryden masterpiece somehow has escaped my grasp for all of these years. I haven't seen it on eBay, Amazon or AbeBooks. I have been looking, and was willing to over pay to the amount of fifty bucks to see the book once again.

I found the book in an obscure Jasper, Alberta store this past week while on a hiking, camping, and trail running vacation. Embarrassingly, I don't even know the name of the store. It's an eclectic collectibles store in the basement of a local dollar store. And best of all - I got it for just five bucks!

Take a look inside the book.

McFadden had at least one other similar book devoted to Bobby Clarke. I do not know if there are others in the series. I would certainly hope there was - they are fantastic.

Ken Dryden

There is an old hockey adage that goes something like this: "A team is only as good as its goalie."

Ken Dryden ranks among the greatest goaltenders not only in Montreal Canadiens history, but in hockey history. Dryden follows in the Habs footsteps of Georges Vezina, George Hainsworth, Bill Durnan, Jacques Plante, Gump Worsley and followed by Patrick Roy as great goalies to wear the "CH"

But try to imagine this - Ken Dryden wearing a Boston Bruins uniform.

Full Ken Dryden biography

Stanley Cup Legends: Ken Dryden

No rookie made a more spectacular and unsuspecting NHL debut than Montreal Canadiens goaltender Ken Dryden.

The lanky Dryden spent the entire 1970-71 season in the American Hockey League, but received a late season call up in what was expected to be a chance to give a young goalie some apprenticeship behind established starter Rogie Vachon. It was standard with the Habs back then to serve a lengthy apprenticeship. It was part of their tradition.

Dryden watched the first game from the press box, and then played in the final 6 games of the regular season. He played spectacularly, only allowing 9 goals. People still expected Vachon to start the playoffs, but to everyone's surprise, the Canadiens started a rookie at such a critical point. It was even more daunting since Montreal opened the playoffs against Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito and the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins.

The first round series against Boston is now considered a classic. Dryden made spectacular save after spectacular save against the likes of Orr, Esposito and Johnny Bucyk. The Habs upset the defending champs 4 games to 3. Propelled by this feat, they went on to win the Stanley Cup themselves. It's hard to believe that any of this could have happened without Dryden, a veteran of only 6 games. He had a GAA of 3.00 in 20 games, and was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

The next season he would take over as the Habs starter. The Stanley Cup champion easily won the Calder trophy as rookie of the year.

Full Ken Dryden Biography

Ken Dryden on Jean Beliveau

When Ken Dryden writes a special report for the Toronto Star, we must read it.

When Ken Dryden writes about his former teammate, the late Jean Beliveau, we must stop everything we do immediately, and enjoy it.

He was the great Jean Béliveau, tall, handsome, graceful and gracious, with his warm dignity and friendly smile, yet there he was. He treated everyone with such respect. He said the right things, and in the right way — in French and in English — because that is what he believed, and that’s how he was. He made every occasion better. He made everyone who attended feel that their town, their organization, their province, their country, their event mattered. That they mattered. Appealing to their best selves, he reminded them of the best that was in them.

I especially enjoyed his comparison of Beliveau with Rocket Richard:

He is linked inevitably with the team’s greatest star, Maurice Richard. The Rocket, bull-shouldered, explosive, with a will that intimidated his opponents. Jean played in cool control of the action. For fans in Quebec, the Rocket was just like them. He did what they could do, if only in their dreams. Jean was beyond them; out of reach. One evoked deep love; the other deep admiration. Yet as different as they were, with some great coaches and managers, and some outstanding players around them, they were the making of the Canadiens.

Here's Dryden's full article.

Photo: Darryl Sittler vs Ken Dryden

Photo: Lanny McDonald vs Ken Dryden

Ken Dryden: Spoils Of The Game

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Ken Dryden enjoys some of the "spoils of the game."

Ken Dryden's Epic Book "The Game" Turns 30

It’s hard to believe, but we’re already at the 30th anniversary edition of Ken Dryden’s The Game .

Widely acknowledged as the best hockey book ever written and lauded by Sports Illustrated as one of the Top 10 Sports Books of All Time, The Game is a reflective and thought-provoking look at a life in hockey. Ken Dryden, the former Montreal Canadiens goalie and former president of the Toronto Maple Leafs, captures the essence of the sport and what it means to all hockey fans. He gives vivid and affectionate portraits of the characters—Guy Lafleur, Larry Robinson, Guy Lapointe, Serge Savard, and coach Scotty Bowman among them—who made the Canadiens of the 1970s one of the greatest hockey teams in history. But beyond that, Dryden reflects on life on the road, in the spotlight, and on the ice, offering a rare inside look at the game of hockey and an incredible personal memoir.

Take a journey to the heart and soul of the game with this timeless hockey classic.

It may have been thirty years since this seminal book first hit book stores, yet it’s still just as relevant as ever. This commemorative edition marks the 30th anniversary of the book’s original publication, and it includes a new foreword by Bill Simmons, new photography, and a new chapter, “The Game Goes On.” The new chapter discusses the tradition of NHL players from the Stanley Cup-winning team having the opportunity to take the Cup home. Surprisingly, this tradition didn’t start until 1995. Having never had the chance to take part in this custom, Ken petitioned to have the opportunity to do so, and when his request was finally granted – he celebrated his success in a big way.

As the quest for the Cup is just beginning for the year, The Game: 30th Anniversary Edition is a shining example of how much hockey, our national sport, has changed, and stayed the same. What a great time to introduce this award-winning book to a new generation of players and fans.

Buy The Book: Amazon.ca - Chapters - Amazon.com

Summit Series Heroes: Ken Dryden

Ken Dryden was the top goalie of the 1970s. The highly intellectual Dryden appeared as if from nowhere in 1971 just in time to magically carry the Montreal Canadiens to the Stanley Cup - the first of 6 championships in 8 years in the National Hockey League. 258 NHL wins vs. only 57 losses and 5 Vezina trophy wins ensured his status as the best goalie of that decade and perhaps of all time.

However Dryden seemed to struggle against international competition, namely the Soviets. Phil Esposito once called a Ken Dryden a "damn octopus" because of his hulking size and quick arms and legs. For much of the series Dryden looked like a fish on land. He was clearly outplayed by Tretiak and at times his partner Tony Esposito.

Dryden had the unfortunate task of playing game one against the Soviets. His goaltending style was to cut down the angles by challenging the shooter and making the most of his immense size. But the Soviets used their cute offense consisting of sudden criss-crossing passes and shifty movement to make Dryden move around and lose his angles, and thus make him look silly at times. Backup Tony Esposito benefited from his bird's eye view on the bench to notice this and he was able to make adjustments to his game when he got the call in games 2 and 3, and stayed further back in his net and avoided challenging the shooter.

"I have been very fortunate to have played on six Stanley Cup winning teams in Montreal," wrote Dryden in Brian McFarlane's book Team Canada 1972: Where Are They Now. "But nothing in hockey ever brought me so low or took me so high. And nothing meant so much."

In an interview with the Globe and Mail in 1997, the always philosophical Dryden looked back upon the series saying that "a feeling comes before a thought comes. The feeling is a mixture of pain, satisfaction and mostly relief. And in retrospect, a sense of gratitude of having had that as an experience."

Although he is one of the NHL's all time greats, Dryden is also known as a best selling author. His book "The Game" is a legendary hockey book, but it was not his first published effort. Face-Off At The Summit - a 1973 book published by Little Brown - is an interesting look at the series through the eyes of one of the key competitors.

Ken Dryden On His Return To Russia

The always eloquent Ken Dryden recently penned a beautiful guest article for The Globe and Mail about his return to Russia to celebrate the 1972 Summit Series 40th anniversary.

Interestingly, though 1972 is his "favourite hockey memory" he has had little desire to look back on it. 

I’ve never watched any of the movies or documentaries about Team Canada, or read any of the books. Now, 40 years after the series ended, my feelings are clear. While I was at Cornell, we won a national collegiate championship. In Montreal, we won six Stanley Cups. In most of those, I played a more important role than I did in the Summit Series of 1972, but, even if I wanted to, I couldn’t persuade my feelings otherwise.

The Summit Series is my favourite hockey memory. And I have too much of a stake in that memory to risk it on someone else’s version of the series, on seeing things again many years later with different eyes, and wondering if I got it right the first time. I’m not interested in wondering. I feel what I feel.

As always Dryden's commentary is brilliantly retrospective, making for an excellent read. 

Ken Dryden Talks About "The Game"

CBC presents

Ken Dryden and The Game

A Canada Reads event with Homerun’s Sue Smith

Thursday, February 2 at 7 PM

At Indigo Bookstore (1500, avenue McGill College)

CBC Radio presents an evening with former Montreal Canadiens’ goalie, Ken Dryden. Join us for an onstage conversation with the hockey legend as host Sue Smith speaks to him about The Game, both then and now.

Widely acknowledged as the best hockey book ever written, The Game is a reflective and thought-provoking look at a life in hockey. Intelligent and insightful, former Montreal Canadiens goalie and former President of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ken Dryden captures the essence of the sport and what it means to all hockey fans. He gives us vivid and affectionate portraits of the characters — Guy Lafleur, Larry Robinson, Guy Lapointe, Serge Savard, and coach Scotty Bowman among them — that made the Canadiens of the 1970s one of the greatest hockey teams in history. But beyond that, Dryden reflects on life on the road, in the spotlight, and on the ice, offering up a rare inside look at the game of hockey and an incredible personal memoir.

Also joining us will be Lisa-Marie Breton, Captain of the Montreal Stars (CWHL), andDr. Gordon Bloom, Associate Professor of Sport Psychology at McGill University. Both will engage in a discussion with Ken and Sue about The Game, as well as offer their views on the current state of injuries and concussions in the sport.

The discussion will be recorded and segments will air on Homerun on CBC Radio One (88.5 FM in Montreal).

The Game is one of the five books currently in the running for the prestigious Canada Reads prize. The live debates air on CBC Radio One the week of February 6, 2012. For more information on Canada Reads, visit www.cbc.ca/canadareads.

Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/305621696150764/

Covered: Ken Dryden

1971 Stanley Cup: Ken Dryden Takes NHL By Storm

The year is 1971. The Stanley Cup playoffs are all about one man. And he's a rookie at that, just called up a few days before the playoffs began.

The Boston Bruins are led by the high powered offense of Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito. They are poised to be hockey's next great dynasty. But in 1971 they would run into the red hot rookie goaltender in Montreal.

The man making the spectacular and unsuspecting NHL debut was Ken Dryden. Now he may be remembered as one of the greatest goalies of all time and for his off-ice interests. But back then he was a first year apprentice called up from the American Hockey League. No one expected him to start in the playoffs. This was very much Rogie Vachon's team.

To everyone's surprise, the Canadiens started the rookie at such a critical point. The first round series against Boston is now considered a classic. Dryden made spectacular save after spectacular save against the likes of Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito and Johnny Bucyk. The Habs upset the defending champs 4 games to 3. Propelled by this feat, they went on to win the Stanley Cup themselves. It is hard to believe that any of this could have happened with Dryden, a veteran of only 6 games. He had a GAA of 3.00 in 20 games, and was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

Montreal knocked off Chicago in a memorable 7 game finals. Chicago was loaded with Bobby Hull and Dennis Hull, Stan Mikita, and, interestingly, Tony Esposito, another young goalie who just left the Montreal organization.

What Will Ken Dryden Do Next?

“I never thought of myself as a hockey player. I just thought of myself as a person who played hockey. I never thought of myself as a writer. I just thought of myself as someone who writes. And I never thought of myself as a politician. I just thought of myself as someone who’s involved in politics.”

- Ken Dryden

Now that Ken Dryden's run in Ottawa as Member of Parliament is over, speculation has begun as to what is next for the former Montreal Canadiens' great.

Reinventing himself is nothing new to Dryden. The Cornell graduate is best remembered as the six-time Stanley Cup championship goaltender with the Montreal Canadiens in the 1970s. The Hockey Hall of Famer ranks as one of the greatest goalies of all time.

But the intellectual was destined to become more than just a hockey player. First he became a lawyer; then a best selling author; then a sports commentator; then Ontario’s first Youth Commissioner; then president of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Lastly, starting in 2004, he represented Toronto's York Centre riding as an MP. He was a cabinet minister and even took a run to become Prime Minister of Canada.

What will he do next?

“I got into politics seven years ago to try to do something useful,” he says. “I hope to do something useful next. … What is it that I might do, I don’t know. And I don’t need to know today," Dryden told the Toronto Star.

More than a few hockey fans have already called for Dryden to replace Gary Bettman as the commissioner of the National Hockey League. Aside from the certain long winded press conferences, it's not a bad idea. He is a lawyer with a hockey background obviously. He has an unmatchable resume, mind you the owners' definition of the job is quite a bit different than the fans'.

But Bettman recently signed a long term contract extension and is going nowhere, certainly not until after the next collective bargaining agreement is settled. By the time Bettman does step down, Dryden will likely have already found his newest incarnation.

Ken Dryden Shut Out

In what may be his first lost since the 1970s, Ken Dryden lost his seat in Parliament in the Canadian federal election on Monday.

Dryden, the three-time Liberal incumbent in the Liberal friendly riding of York Centre (Toronto), lost in an upset to Conservative Mike Adler.

Stanley Cup Legends: Ken Dryden

No rookie made a more spectacular and unsuspecting NHL debut than Montreal Canadiens goaltender Ken Dryden.

The lanky Dryden spent the entire 1970-71 season in the American Hockey League, but received a late season call up in what was expected to be a chance to give a young goalie some apprenticeship behind established starter Rogie Vachon. It was standard with the Habs back then to serve a lengthy apprenticeship. It was part of their tradition.

Dryden watched the first game from the press box, and then played in the final 6 games of the regular season. He played spectacularly, only allowing 9 goals. People still expected Vachon to start the playoffs, but to everyone's surprise, the Canadiens started a rookie at such a critical point. It was even more daunting since Montreal opened the playoffs against Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito and the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins.

The first round series against Boston is now considered a classic. Dryden made spectacular save after spectacular save against the likes of Orr, Esposito and Johnny Bucyk. The Habs upset the defending champs 4 games to 3. Propelled by this feat, they went on to win the Stanley Cup themselves. It's hard to believe that any of this could have happened without Dryden, a veteran of only 6 games. He had a GAA of 3.00 in 20 games, and was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

The next season he would take over as the Habs starter. The Stanley Cup champion easily won the Calder trophy as rookie of the year.

Full Ken Dryden Biography

Ken Dryden Speaks Out On Concussions

Since entering federal politics Ken Dryden has all but left hockey behind. He was once one of the greatest the game has ever seen, and followed that passion up into a literary and business career predicated on his love of ice and pucks.

He does not have time to talk about hockey anymore, he said recently, due to political commitments on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. And he seems to have no regrets in adopting this stance.

But with the hockey world rocked by continuing incidents of scary brain injuries, the heady Dryden has broken his silence. One of the most articulate men you will ever hear has one clear message: How could we be so stupid?

Dryden penned a guest column in The Globe and Mail this weekend.

"I feel the same when I remember that the effects of smoking or of drunk driving were ignored for so long. I feel it when I think of women in the past having no right to vote and few rights of any kind, and when I think about slavery: How could people 50, 100 or 200 years ago not have known? How could they be so stupid?

"I wonder what will make people say that about us 50 years from now. What are the big things we might be getting really wrong? Chemicals in our foods? Genetic modifications gone wrong? Climate change?"

"In sports, I think, the haunting question will be about head injuries."

He goes on to talk about the nature of sports, specifically hockey and football. He ends his lengthy article with this:

"The voices of the future will not be kind to us about how we understood and dealt with head injuries in sports. They will ask: How is it possible we didn't know, or chose not to know? 

"For players or former players, owners, managers, coaches, doctors and team doctors, league executives, lawyers, agents, the media, players' wives, partners and families, it's no longer possible not to know and not to be afraid, unless we willfully close our eyes. 

"Max Pacioretty was only the latest; he will not be the last. Arguments and explanations don't matter any more. The NHL has to risk the big steps that are needed: If some of them prove wrong, they'll still be far less wrong than what we have now. 

"It is time to stop being stupid."

Powerful stuff from a visionary man. Only it should not take visionaries to see this. We all just have to open our eyes.

You can read the full Globe and Mail article here.