Canadiens legend also was author, lawyer, Maple Leafs president, member of Canada’s Parliament

Ken Dryden was a success at everything he undertook, in and out of hockey.

Dryden, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame whose goaltending helped the Montreal Canadiens win the Stanley Cup six times in the 1970s and later became an author, television analyst, hockey executive and a member of Canada’s Parliament, died Friday after a battle with cancer. He was 78.

“From the moment Ken Dryden joined the Montreal Canadiens as a 23-year-old rookie in 1971, he made an immediate and lasting impact on the NHL, the Canadiens franchise and the goaltending position,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “After playing in only six regular-season games during that first year, Ken proceeded to lead his team to a Stanley Cup while winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs’ most valuable player. It is almost incomprehensible to believe that he accomplished all of that the year prior to winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as the League’s best rookie in 1971-72.

“Ken’s early success was only a harbinger of what was to come. In eight years with the Canadiens, Ken would lead a team filled with future Hall of Famers to six Stanley Cup championships, quickly becoming a beloved figure in his adopted hometown of Montreal. He won five Vezina Trophies as the League’s top goaltender, including four consecutive awards from 1975-76 to 1978-79. Named as a member of the League’s Greatest 100, he was the NHL’s dominant goaltender during the 1970’s.

“His work in hockey extended to the front office of the Toronto Maple Leafs where he served as President of the organization. Ken was also a prolific author whose works chronicled the sport including the critically-acclaimed ‘The Game’ and ‘Home Game: Hockey and Life in Canada.’

“Ken’s love for his country was evident both on and off the ice. He was a key member of the 1972 Canadian Summit Series team that thrilled the entire nation with an historic win over the Soviet Union. As a member of Parliament, Ken continued to serve Canada. He was named an Officer of the Order of Canada.

“On a personal note, Ken was a fellow Cornellian whose career ranks among the greatest runs in collegiate hockey. Ken compiled a 76-4-1 record over three years and famously led the Big Red to the 1967 NCAA Championship.

“On behalf of the National Hockey League, we mourn the passing of a legendary Canadian and extend our sincere condolences to his wife Lynda, family and many friends and fans all over the hockey world.”

NHL Hall of Famer Ken Dryden passes away at age 78

Dryden, born Aug. 8, 1947, was selected by the Boston Bruins in the third round (No. 14) of the 1964 NHL Draft, but a little more than two weeks later, on June 28, the Bruins traded the 16-year-old’s rights to the Canadiens.

However, Dryden put hockey on hold and decided to pursue a college degree at Cornell University rather than attend Canadiens training camp in a decision that was unusual for its time. He went 76-4 with one tie and a 1.59 goals-against average in 83 games during three seasons (1966-69) for the Big Red, then played for Canada at the 1969 IIHF World Championship.

Not until 1970 did Dryden join the Montreal organization. He went 16-7 with eight ties in 33 games for the Montreal Voyageurs of the American Hockey League in 1970-71 to earn his chance with the Canadiens. He played six regular-season games and was named Montreal’s starter for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

He led the Canadiens to an upset of the League-leading Boston Bruins in the NHL Quarterfinals, followed by a six-game win against the Minnesota North Stars and a seven-game victory against the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Final. He was voted the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs.

In 1971-72, Dryden led the NHL with 39 wins and ranked in the top four in the League in GAA (2.24, fourth), save percentage (.930, third) and shutouts (eight, second) and won the Calder Trophy voted as NHL rookie of the year.

The Canadiens won the Cup again in 1973, with Dryden going 12-5 in the playoffs after he won the Vezina Trophy given to the League’s best goalie after the Canadiens allowed the fewest goals (184) in the NHL.

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Dryden didn’t report to training camp in the fall of 1973. Instead, unhappy with the Canadiens’ contract offer, he announced his retirement at age 26 and went to work at a Toronto law firm.

After sitting out the 1973-74 season, he returned to Montreal in the fall of 1974. The following season, he and the Canadiens began a run of four consecutive Stanley Cup championships by sweeping the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1976 Final. The 1976-77 Canadiens became the first team in NHL history to win 60 games during the regular season, then capped what’s regarded by many as the best season in NHL history by sweeping the Bruins in the 1977 Final. They defeated the Bruins again in 1978 and knocked off the New York Rangers in five games in 1979 for their fourth consecutive title.

“Ken Dryden was an exceptional athlete, but he was also an exceptional man,” Canadiens owner Geoff Molson said. “Behind the mask he was larger than life. We mourn today not only the loss of the cornerstone of one of hockey’s greatest dynasties, but also a family man, a thoughtful citizen, and a gentleman who deeply impacted our lives and communities across generations. He was one of the true legends that helped shape this club into what it is today.

“Ken embodied the best of everything the Montreal Canadiens are about, and his legacy within our society transcends our sport. On behalf of the Molson family and our entire organization, I would like to extend my most heartfelt condolences to his family, his friends, and all who had the privilege to cross his path and know him on a personal level.”

Dryden still was at the top of his game but instead retired after that 1979 championship with six Stanley Cup titles in eight NHL seasons. He was 258-57 with 74 ties, a 2.24 GAA, .922 save percentage and 46 shutouts in 397 regular-season games (389 starts). He was 80-32 with a 2.41 GAA, .915 save percentage and 10 shutouts in 112 playoff games.

He won the Vezina Trophy five times (1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979), the fourth most in NHL history behind Jacques Plante (seven), Bill Durnan (six) and Dominik Hasek (six).

Instead of being on the ice during the Canadiens’ push for a fifth straight Cup title in 1980, he was in the TV booth. He served as an analyst for the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics and was paired with Al Michaels for the telecast of the United States’ upset win against the Soviet Union in the “Miracle on Ice.” Dryden also was an Olympic analyst in 1984 and 1988.

In 1983, Dryden became a best-selling author when “The Game,” a first-person account of his 1978-79 season with Montreal, was published. More than three decades later, it’s still regarded as one of the best books ever written about hockey. He also was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame that year.

After several years away from hockey, Dryden returned to the NHL in 1997, when he was named president of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He left the team in 2004 to run for a seat in Canada’s Parliament on the Liberal Party ticket in the riding of York Centre. Dryden won his parliamentary seat in a landslide and was named Canada’s Minister of Social Development and was reelected in 2006.

The Canadiens recognized his on-ice success on Jan. 29, 2007, when his No. 29 was raised to the rafters at Bell Centre. He received the Order of Canada in 2012.

Dryden also was voted one of the 100 Greatest Players in NHL history during the League’s centennial in 2017.

Through all his accomplishments, Dryden redefined people’s interpretation of the modern athlete, constantly pursuing a new challenge, be it physical, intellectual or otherwise.

At request of the Dryden family, those wishing to honor Ken’s memory are encouraged to make a donation to the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, or the Concussion Legacy Foundation.