Legendary Hamiltonian Ken Dryden dies age 78

Hamilton native Ken Dryden, a politician, lawyer, businessman, author and a member of the Order of Canada has died age 78.

Most will remember Ken Dryden for the mark he made in professional hockey before losing his biggest battle with cancer on Friday.

Dryden, who was born in Hamilton, was a legend in the NHL, not just for the six Stanley Cups he backstopped for the Montreal Canadiens or even as the netminder for the generation-defining victory in the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union — it was for how he approached the game.

October 28, 1972, the Dryden brothers made NHL history playing for opposite teams – both born in Hamilton.

“Dave was the goal tender to the Buffalo Sabres. They were a pretty good team at the time. Obviously, Ken was the goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens who were a powerhouse at the time, and they played each other. And it was the first time, I believe, in NHL history two brothers played goalie against each other in an NHL game,” said Gary McKay, a board member at the Hamilton Sports Hall of Fame.

“There’s a scene during the game where they skate out to centre ice and shake hands because they knew they were creating history,” said McKay.

Condolences have been coming in from across the country for the Dryden family, including Prime Minister Mark Carney.

“Ken Dryden was the reason I became a goalie, although I never mastered his ability to lean on his stick, let alone keep the puck out of the net,” said Carney in a post on X.

Dryden appeared on CHCH Morning Live in November 2023 where he spoke about playing hockey as a child.

“I was a kid who played hockey in the winter and baseball in the summer. And if I was good enough and lucky enough, I would play Junior B. And what I hoped was to play university hockey,” said Dryden.

He also joined in a charity game CHCH played versus the national women’s hockey team with other NHL legends back in the early 2000s.

“He basically told the Canadiens, I’ve got other options here. I’m going to go to McGill, I’m going to get my law degree and I’m going to play beer league hockey as a forward at the peak of his career,” said Paul Hendrick, retired Maple Leafs sportscaster.

Paul Hendrick knew Ken Dryden from Dryden’s time as president of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Hendrick remembers how Dryden acquired Leafs’ goalie Curtis Joseph – a chance meeting in the grocery store.

“Taking over a franchise that was really in rough shape, bringing in another Hamilton native in, Pat Quinn, to coach the team in the late 90s,” said Hendrick.

Young athletes coming up through the sport might not know who Dryden is or the mark he made on the sport, but their coaches do.

“A leader for goalies everywhere. His influence in the Summit Series back against Russia was something that I think hockey players will remember forever,” said one local hockey coach.

The hockey world will be mourning this one for a long time. Ken Dryden was 78 years old.

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