Ken Dryden, hockey’s noble scholar, did things his way

On any given night at the Montreal Forum in the 1970s, it was a familiar sight to see the Montreal Canadiens rushing the puck up the ice, asserting their status as the standard of the NHL. While names like Guy Lafleur, Steve Shutt, and Serge Savard mesmerized the Habs faithful at one end, a 6-foot-4 man stood stoically at the other.

Stoic.

An appropriate word for a person who would use the opportunity, with his chin resting on top of his arms, on the knob of his stick, to take a breather, but analyze the game from his end of the rink. Thinking about the game and wondering what was to come.

It looked different, but that’s because Ken Dryden was different.

Dryden left this world on Friday at the age of 78 after a battle with cancer. He not only leaves one of the most successful careers by any goaltender, but a legacy that stretches far beyond the ice.

While he’s still regarded as one of the best masked men in the history of the game, Dryden wasn’t necessarily the traditional hockey player, per se. He was an intellect who had a love for the game and just happened to be really, really good at it. Dryden was originally drafted by the Boston Bruins in 1964, only to be traded to the Canadiens not long after.

While the average player of his day might’ve jumped at the opportunity to play pro hockey, Dryden had a great emphasis on his education, electing to enroll at the prestigious Cornell University. He only went on to be one of the best goaltenders in college hockey history, helping the Big Red win its first NCAA Championship in 1967.

Even after his university career was over, Dryden still avoided the professional ranks in 1969-70, opting to stay with Canada’s National Team, which at the time consisted only of amateurs. It allowed him the chance to continue his education in law school while playing part-time. It wasn’t until that program began boycotting international competition in 1970 that Dryden finally decided to sign with the Canadiens.

From there, the Hamilton, Ont. native rose to stardom. Along with dragging the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup in 1971, winning a total of six championships in his eight-year career, Dryden won five Vezina Trophies, which were awarded to the goaltender who gave up the fewest goals in a season.

Even though he was at the top of the mountain, playing for the NHL’s premier franchise, Ken Dryden, the person, still believed there was more to Ken Dryden than just being a goaltender. In an era when most players simply signed their contracts to continue playing without thinking about negotiating, his contract offer from Hall of Fame general manager Sam Pollock in 1973 didn’t quite fit the bill for Dryden. With his education in mind, Dryden elected to retire from the game at the age of 26, earning a Bachelor of Laws degree from McGill University while working as a clerk at a Toronto Law Firm.

Always thinking, always analyzing. Doing things his way.

After some negotiations, Dryden returned to Montreal in 1974. After a bumpy 1974-75 campaign, he and the Flying Frenchmen dominated, winning four straight Stanley Cups.

Even when things were dwindling for the Habs’ dynasty, there’s no question Dryden could’ve stayed in the game. He probably could’ve played 4-5 more years. However, the desire to stay on the NHL grind was gone, something Dryden expressed in great detail in his critically acclaimed book, “The Game,” which described how tough it became to get up for every game and practice during the 1978-79 season. It opened up the eyes of those who might not have had the opportunity to see that the life and times of a professional athlete aren’t as glitzy and glamorous as they might seem.

Nobody asked him to write it, but he wanted to tell his story – his way.

While it’s often debated whether Dryden got out when things went south for Montreal, he decided to leave the game on his own terms, retiring for good after helping the Canadiens win the Cup in 1979.

While he stepped away from playing to pursue other endeavors, including becoming a leader in politics, Dryden always stayed close to the game, whether it be broadcasting hockey at the Olympics, including being on the call for the Miracle on Ice in 1980, or being president of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Once again, doing things on his own terms.

One of Dryden’s traits was his willingness to provide an answer to a question, even if it was not a brief one. He ceased from giving a boring answer. Instead, it was thought-out, sometimes calculated. That’s just how he was. His viewpoints on hockey and life were considered fascinating by those who had an opportunity to have a conversation with him. You never walked away from a chat with No. 29 without learning something – whether it be about Dryden, hockey, or some other historical fact of life.

Always analyzing. Always thinking.

Dryden’s knowledge of the game and its dangers led to him being one of the most outspoken members of the hockey world. His expressions of concern over concussions and CTE research made him a polarizing figure in circles. His criticism of the NHL and other organizations for how concussions were treated was aplenty. Dryden’s book “Game Change: The Life and Death of Steve Montador” opened many eyes to the issue, leading to some action being taken at the grassroots level.

Was it popular to be critical of the league where he became famous? Depends on who you ask. However, Dryden decided to speak out – on his own terms.

The Humber Valley star’s viewpoints on the game and in society are based on the information he has deduced for most of his life. His opinions came from watching how things played out from afar, like a man standing at the lonely end of the rink, with his chin resting on top of his arms, on the knob of his stick.

Always analyzing. Always thinking. Always wondering what’s next.