Ken Dryden, Ace Canadiens Goalie Turned Hockey Thought Leader, Dies at 78

The Hall of Famer wrote one of the great sports books and served in Canada's Parliament.

Ken Dryden became the face of the Canadiens' 1970s dynasty. / Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

Ken Dryden, the star goalie of the Canadiens' 1970s dynasty and one of hockey's most respected thought leaders, died Friday, the team announced. He was 78.

"Ken embodied the best of everything the Montreal Canadiens are about, and his legacy within our society transcends our sport," Canadiens owner Geoff Molson said in a statement. "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 played eight years with Montreal—six of which ended with Stanley Cup championships. He won the Vezina Trophy as the league's best goalie on five occasions, and his 2.24 goals against averages ranks eighth in league history.

Renowned for his intellect, Dryden held out for the entire 1974 season and worked as a law clerk in his native Ontario. The Cornell product retired following his age-31 season in 1979, a year in which he won both the Cup and the Vezina; that season inspired him to write The Game, widely considered one of the greatest sports books of all time.

Dryden enjoyed a formidable post-playing career, writing eight more books, working as a commentator in the United States (where he called the Miracle on Ice with Al Michaels in 1980), working in the Maple Leafs' front office, and serving as a Liberal member of Canada's Parliament from 2004 to '11.

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