Hall of Fame Canadiens goaltender Ken Dryden dies at age 78
Montreal – Ken Dryden, the goalkeeper of the renowned temple who helped Canadians in Montreal win six Stanley Cup titles in the 1970s, died of cancer at 78.
The Canadians announced his death early on Saturday, saying that Dryden’s family had asked for intimacy. A team spokesman said that a friend close to Dryden appointed by the family had contacted the organization, adding that he had died peacefully on Friday at his home.
“Ken Dryden was an exceptional athlete, but he was also an exceptional man,” said owner Geoff Molson. “Behind the mask, it was bigger than life. We are growing today not only the loss of the cornerstone of one of the largest dynasties of hockey, but also a father, a thoughtful citizen and a gentleman who deeply affected our lives and our communities through generations.”
Dryden supported the most successful NHL franchise at the Championship during six of his eight seasons in the League from 1970 to 1971 to 1978-1979. He won the Calder trophy as a recruit of the year, the Vezina as the best goalkeeper five times and the Smythe conn as MVP in the playoffs in 1971, while being six stars.
“Ken embodied the best of everything that Montreal Canadians are on the point,” said Molson.
Ken Dryden, the Legendary Guardian of the Montreal Canadians who supported the 1970s dynasty of the Six Cup Stanley team, died at the age of 78 after a battle against cancer.
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– Montreal Canadians (@Canadiensmtl) September 6, 2025
Known to rest his blocker and his hands gloves on his stick in a relaxed way which has become one of the most recognizable poses of hockey, the 6 -foot Dryden 4 inch retired at only 31 years in 1979.
“From the moment Ken Dryden joined Montreal Canadians as a 23 -year -old recruit in 1971, he had an immediate and lasting impact on the NHL, the Canadiens franchise and the goalkeeper position,” said LNH commissioner Gary Bettman. “Ken’s love for his country was obvious out of the ice.”
Indked in the temple of renown of hockey in 1983, Dryden raised a record of 258-57-74 with a safeguard percentage of .922, an average of goals and 46 whitening of .922 in just over seven seasons. He went 80-32 in the playoffs.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney posted on social networks that he was “deeply saddened to learn the death of Hon. Ken Dryden, a legend of Canadian hockey and the temple of fame, civil servant and inspiration”.
“Few Canadians have given more or held greater for our country,” said Carney. “Ken Dryden was Grand Canada. And he was the best in Canada. Rest in peace.”
From Hamilton, in Ontario, Dryden played three seasons at Cornell University from 1966 to 1969, leading the Big Red to the 1967 NCAA title and ending with a career record of 76-4-1.
Dryden entered the NHL in 1971 and spent only six games in the fold before doing his debut in the NHL qualifying series. He and Montreal upset the Boston rival in the first round and beat Chicago in the final.
He was also the cornerstone of the 1972 Canada Summit team who beat the Soviet Union, starting with the 6-5 decisive victory in match 8.
“I feel the story of this tournament, the legacy of this team as strongly as all Canadian fans,” Dryden told the Canadian press in an interview in 2022. “It never disappears. It’s a bit like a good wine, I suppose. In fact, the inheritance grows.”
He also worked in a Toronto company when he was seated in the 1973-1974 NHL season – after graduating in McGill University in Montreal.
After retiring as a player, he entered the broadcast and wrote “The Game”, one of the best known books on sport, after having published “Face-Off at the top” 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 won the gold medal at the 1980 winter Olympic Games.
Dryden was president of the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1997 to 2004 – a section accentuated by trips to the final of the Eastern Conference in 1999 and 2002 – before resigning to enter politics. He ran for federal liberals in 2004 and was appointed Minister of Social Development to the cabinet of Prime Minister Paul Martin.
Dryden, who also taught in various universities across Canada, retained his seat at the Toronto York Center in 2006 when the Liberals were ousted, and again in 2008, but lost in 2011.
Dryden is survived by the wife Lynda and their two children.
His brother Dave Dryden was a NHL for a long time and a goalkeeper. He died in 2022 at 81 years old.
