04:10 PM
09/07/25
09/07/25
September 06, 2025
Ken Dryden was a towering figure in the crease and a principled gentleman off the ice: Great athletes are uncommon. Great athletes who are also great people are rare as that rarest of birds, the Stresemann’s Bristlefront of Brazil. The Canadiens and the fans of Montreal are fortunate to have had two such men, Dryden and Jean Béliveau.
Dryden was in the net in Moscow when Paul Henderson scored to give Canada the victory over Red Army in the greatest hockey series ever played.
posted by tommybiden to hockey at 05:47 PM - 1 comment
I first saw Ken Dryden play in the 1967 ECAC tournament in Boston Garden. This was in the bronze age when the original Boston Garden still stood and Hockey East had not been conceived. My then girlfriend was a hockey fan, and although neither of us had a serious rooting interest, it was something to do (and fairly cheap too). It was Dryden's Cornell vs Boston University, so we naturally cheered for the home team BU. Dryden was excellent, but not noteworthy in a 4 - 3 win.
I really began to dislike Dryden in 1971, when he basically stole a Stanley Cup repeat from the Bruins. Boston was a heavy favorite to win the series, what with Orr, Esposito, Sanderson, and company, but Dryden took it away. I remember an interview before game 1 with some writer or TV personality who when asked for a prediction replied, "Montreal in 6 on sentiment". Deciding game 6, in the Montreal Forum, does Boston really have a chance?
Dryden's career off the ice could be considered to have been far more significant than what he did in goal, but he will always be remembered as he stood in goal.