Ken Dryden Breaks Silence: Legendary Canadiens Goalie Reveals Bold Vision for the NHL’s Future

The Montreal Canadiens confirmed that Hall-of-Fame goaltender Ken Dryden has died at the age of 78 after a battle with cancer, passing peacefully on Friday, September 5 (ET) in the presence of family. Dryden’s playing résumé remains one of the most efficient bursts of brilliance in NHL history. After debuting late in the 1970-71 season, he won all six regular-season games, then backstopped Montreal to a stunning Stanley Cup and captured the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. The following year he added the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year, launching a decade that produced six Stanley Cups (1971, ’73, ’76, ’77, ’78, ’79) and five Vezina Trophies as the league’s top goaltender. When he retired in 1979, Dryden owned a 258-57-74 career record and a sparkling 2.24 goals-against average—numbers that vaulted him into the Hockey Hall of Fame by 1983 and led the Canadiens to retire his iconic No. 29 in 2007. Geoff Molson, owner of the Canadiens, called Dryden “the cornerstone of one of hockey’s greatest dynasties … a thoughtful citizen and a gentleman who deeply impacted our lives and communities across generations” in the club’s official statement. Beyond the crease, Dryden’s intellectual curiosity made him a best-selling author (notably 1983’s “The Game,” often cited as the definitive hockey book), a television commentator, and eventually a federal politician. Elected as Liberal MP for York Centre in 2004, he served as Minister of Social Development under Prime Minister Paul Martin, championing national early learning and child-care initiatives. In 2012 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada. Sportsnet reports that the Hamilton, Ontario, native also spent six years as president of the Toronto Maple Leafs between his broadcasting and political careers, further cementing his influence on the sport off the ice. Tributes poured in across the hockey world Saturday. Former teammates Guy Lafleur Jr. and Serge Savard praised Dryden’s “unflappable calm” and “lawyer’s mind behind the mask,” while current Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki called him “a pillar every young Hab learns about on Day 1.” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman noted Dryden’s “commitment to player safety and social causes long before they became mainstream league priorities.” Fans have already turned the base of Dryden’s bronze statue outside Montreal’s Bell Centre into a memorial of flowers, miniature goalie sticks, and copies of “The Game.” The Dryden family has asked supporters to channel their grief into donations to the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre or the Concussion Legacy Foundation, organizations that align with the late goalie’s lifelong advocacy for public health and brain-injury research. Funeral arrangements are expected to remain private, but the Canadiens plan to honor Dryden with a pre-game ceremony and commemorative No. 29 patch when the club opens its 2025-26 season next month. The NHL Alumni Association is also coordinating a league-wide moment of silence and retro-mask decal program for all goaltenders during opening week. SEO keywords: Ken Dryden death, Ken Dryden passes away, Montreal Canadiens legend dies, Hall of Fame goalie dies at 78, Ken Dryden cause of death, Ken Dryden cancer, Ken Dryden obituary, six-time Stanley Cup champion, “The Game” author, Ken Dryden legacy.