Kenneth Dryden Canadian athlete, hockey player (goalkeeper). Date of Birth: 08.08.1947 Country: Canada

1. Biography of Ken Dryden
2. Success on the Ice
3. Off the Ice
4. In 1983, Ken Dryden was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Biography of Ken Dryden

Kenneth Wayne "Ken" Dryden was born on August 8, 1947, in Hamilton, Ontario. He is a Canadian athlete and ice hockey player, specifically a goaltender. Dryden played for the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1970 to 1979.

Success on the Ice

Dryden won the Stanley Cup six times with the Canadiens in 1971, 1973, and from 1976 to 1979. He was also named the NHL's best goaltender five times in 1973, and from 1976 to 1979. In the 1970/1971 season, Dryden played only six games in the regular season and made his debut towards the end of the season. However, he led the Canadiens to win all six games, allowing only 10 goals. Dryden's performance as a rookie goaltender was a surprise and he ended up receiving the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs. In the first round, he helped defeat the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Boston Bruins, in a seven-game series. In the finals, Montreal also won in seven games against the Chicago Blackhawks. Due to playing only six games in the 1970/71 season, Dryden was considered a rookie the following season and received the Calder Trophy for the NHL's best rookie. This made Ken Dryden the only player in NHL history for whom the Calder Trophy was not his first award.

Off the Ice

In the late 1970s, Dryden became the only player in the NHL to earn a bachelor's degree and a law degree while still playing. After leaving hockey at the age of 26 due to a conflict with the management of the Canadiens, Dryden worked at a law firm in Toronto. However, a year later, the Canadiens were able to convince him to return to professional hockey, this time accommodating all of his demands. Dryden also participated in the 1972 Summit Series between the Soviet Union and Canada and wrote a book about it three years later titled "The Game."

After retiring from playing hockey, Dryden worked as a television commentator for the Olympics in 1980, 1984, and 1988. He also taught at the University of Toronto and worked in the Ministry of Education. Over the course of 18 years, Dryden authored several books, including "Playing the Game" and "Home Game" about hockey, as well as "In School" on educational topics. He also contributed to a documentary series on the history of hockey on Canadian television. From 1997 to 2003, Dryden served as the president of the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey club. In 2003, he entered politics and became the Minister of Social Development in the liberal government led by Paul Martin.

In 1983, Ken Dryden was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.