| Round | Overall |
| 3 | 14 |
 |
 |
Left-hand catcher
Pre-Draft Statistics
| Statistics unavailable |
Pre-Draft Notes
Played in the Etobicoke-based Humber Valley minor hockey organization. ... Had notified scouts and others of his decision to earn a college degree long before the draft, thereby delaying his NHL availability until at least the 1969-70 season.
Renaissance Man
Few people have impacted both hockey and society at large like Ken Dryden. From the brave decisions to delay his pro career until he finished college and earn a law degree even it might affect performance during his early years as a professional, to his work as both a Canadian politician and sports administrator, he has exemplified all that is great about hockey and its culture. In 1983, Dryden published The Game, a book about his final months as an NHL player. It has been deservedly ranked by Sports Illustrated as one of the 10 greatest sports books of all time and is widely regarded as the greatest hockey book ever written. It's just one of many books he authored. A true guardian of the sport, it is only fitting that when he received the status of Officer of the Order of Canada, Dryden was noted for his "his contributions to Canadian life in hockey, law, writing and politics, notably as a champion of literacy and the prevention of sports-related brain injuries." As great as he was on the ice, Dryden has proven to be even greater off of it.
ABOVE: A Look back at Dryden's remarkable nine NHL seasons
| MORE DRYDEN VIDEO | ||
| • Final Playoff Shutout | • Legends of Hockey | • Highlight Reel |
| • 1973 Dryden Feature | • 2013 Interview | • Jersey Retirement |
| • Tribute Video | • 2011 Interview | • Discussing Canada |
Career Vitals
| First contract: | May 1970 |
| Debut: | March 14, 1971 (Montreal at Pittsburgh) |
| Final NHL game: | May 21, 1979 (Stanley Cup Finals) (Montreal vs. N.Y. Rangers) |
| Retired: | July 9, 1979 |
| Stanley Cup: | 1971, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979 |
| Number worn: | 29 (number retired) |
Career NHL Statistics
Team: Montreal
Years: 1971-1979. Playoffs: 1971-1979
| Regular Season | |||||
| GP | W-L-T | GAA | SO | SV% | |
| 8 years | 397 | 258-57-74 | 2.24 | 46 | n/a |
| Stanley Cup Playoffs | |||||
| GP | W-L | GAA | SO | SV% | |
| 8 years | 112 | 80-32 | 2.40 | 10 | n/a |
| Complete statistics available at NHL.com | |||||
NHL Awards and Honors
| 1970-71: | Conn Smythe Trophy, Playoff Wins Leader (12), Playoff Goalie Games Leader (20), Playoff Minutes Leader (1,221) |
| 1971-72: | Calder Trophy, All-Star Second Team, All-Star Game, Wins Leader (39), Goalie Games Leader (64), Minutes Leader (3,800) |
| 1972-73: | Vezina Trophy, All-Star First Team, Wins Leader (33), Shutouts Leader (6), GAA Leader (2.26), Playoff Wins Leader (12), Playoff Goalie Games Leader (17), Playoff Minutes Leader (1,039) |
| 1974-75: | All-Star Game |
| 1975-76: | Vezina Trophy, All-Star First Team, All-Star Game, Wins Leader (42), Shutouts Leader (8), GAA Leader (2.03), Playoff Wins Leader (12), Playoff GAA Leader (1.92), Playoff Goalie Games Leader (13), Playoff Minutes Leader (780) |
| 1976-77: | Vezina Trophy (shared with Larocque), All-Star First Team, All-Star Game, Wins Leader (41), Shutouts Leader (10), Playoff Wins Leader (12), Playoff Shutouts Leader (4), Playoff GAA Leader (1.55), Playoff Goalie Games Leader (14) |
| 1977-78: | Vezina Trophy (shared with Larocque), All-Star First Team, All-Star Game, GAA Leader (2.05), Playoff Wins Leader (12), Playoff Shutouts Leader (2), Playoff GAA Leader (1.89), Playoff Goalie Games Leader (15), Playoff Minutes Leader (919) |
| 1978-79: | Vezina Trophy (shared with Larocque), All-Star First Team, Shutouts Leader (5), GAA Leader (2.30), Playoff Wins Leader (12) |
Team Records
| Montreal Canadiens Records | |
| Single Season | Most regular-season wins (42 in 1975-76, shares record with Jacques Plante, who did it twice); Most combined regular-season and playoff wins (54 in 1975-76) |
| Period: | Most saves in one period (23 in first period on March 19, 1976, at California, shares record with four others); Most shots faced in one period (24 in first period on March 19, 1976, at California, shares record with Rogie Vachon) |
| Streaks: | Longest road undefeated streak (16 games from Dec. 8, 1974, to March 12, 1975) |
| Playoffs Career: | Most career playoff victories (80); Most career playoff shutouts (10, shares record with Jacques Plante); Most career playoff assists by a goalie (4, shares record with Patrick Roy) |
| Playoffs Game: | Most saves in a shutout (37 vs. Vancouver on April 19, 1975) |
| Playoff Year: | Most games played by a goalie (20 in 1971, shares record with Patrick Roy); Most shutouts (4 in 1977); Most assists by a goalie (3 in 1979) |
Retired Sweater Numbers
| Montreal Canadiens Dryden's No. 29 was retired by the Montreal Canadiens in a ceremony prior to a Jan. 29, 2007, game vs. Ottawa at Bell Centre. He was the 12th former Canadiens player to be so honored. Cornell University Dryden's No. 1 was retired by Cornell University on Feb. 25, 2010, as he and Joe Nieuwendyk became first players ever to be so honored by Cornell. |
International Spotlight
| • Started two games for Canada team that
finished fourth at the 1969 World Championships at Stockholm, Sweden. • Was member of the 1972 Team Canada squad that beat the Soviet Union in historic eight-game series prior to start of 1972-73 season. Dryden won two of four starts in the series. • Was member of NHL All-Star squad that faced Soviets in 1979 Challenge Cup three-game series at New York's Madison Square Garden. Dryden won one of his two starts. |
More Key Facts
Full Name: Kenneth Wayne Dryden
Other Post-Draft Teams:
Cornell (ECAC); Team Canada; Montreal (AHL).
Transactions: Traded by Boston
with Alex Campbell to Montreal for Guy Allen and Paul Reid on
June 28, 1964.
College Career: Won NCAA
Championship and was named to NCAA All-Tournament Team with Cornell as a
sophomore in 1966-67. ... Named to NCAA All-America First Team in 1966-67,
1967-68, and 1968-69. ... Named to ECAC All-Star First Team in 1966-67,
1967-68, and 1968-69. ... Set Cornell records for best career save
percentage (.939), lowest career goals-against average (1.59), most career
shutouts (13), most career wins (76), best save percentage in one season
(.945 in 1966-67), lowest GAA in one season (1.46 in 1966-67), most shutouts
in one season (6 in 1967-68)
Education: Earned law degree from
McGill University. ... Holds honorary law degrees from University of
Windsor (1997), University of British Columbia (1992), York University
(1996), and University of Winnipeg (2013).
Family: Younger brother of former
NHL and WHA goaltender Dave Dryden. ... First cousin, twice removed, of former NHL player Murray Murdoch.
Career in Public Service
Served as Ontario Youth Commissioner from 1984-1986. ... Resigned from his front-office position with Maple Leafs in May 2004 to run for a seat in Canada's House of Commons, beginning June 2004. ... Elected to Canada's House of Commons as a Liberal Party representative of Ontario's York Centre on June 28, 2004, and held his seat until losing an election to Conservative Mark Adler in 2011 ... Chosen by Canadian prime minister Paul Martin as Canada's Minister of Social Development on July 20, 2004, and held that position until 2006.
Non-Playing Career
|
MANAGEMENT CAREER Named Toronto Maple Leafs president on May 30, 1997, and remained in that position until June 27, 2003. ... Served as Toronto general manager from 1997-1999. ... Named vice chairman of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd. on June 27, 2003, and remained in that position until May 17, 2004. |
BROADCASTING CAREER Worked as color commentator for ABC telecasts of 1980, 1984 and 1988 Winter Olympic hockey. He is best remembered as a broadcaster for having been in the booth with Al Michaels when the "Miracle on Ice" took place at Lake Place in 1980 and Michaels said "Do You Believe in Miracles ... Yes". |
Miscellaneous:
| Selected by Los Angeles Sharks in 1972 WHA Draft -- the first-ever WHA Draft, February 1972. | Signed three-year, $10,000 contract to play for Canadian national team on July 15, 1969. | Planned to play three years for Canada through 1972 Olympics while attending law school. | Rejected minimum $50,000 contract with Montreal for 1969-70 to join Team Canada. |
| Left Team Canada after it quit all events, including Olympics, to protest IIHF eligibility rules. | Turned pro only after Montreal promised to let him go to McGill law school during the season. | Was first NHL goalie to oppose his brother in net during a game (March 20, 1971, vs. Buffalo). | Remains only player in NHL history to win the Conn Smythe Trophy before Calder Trophy. |
| Won Montreal Molson Cup as team's Three Stars leader in 1972-73 season. | Sat out 1973-74 season after Montreal refused to renegotiate final year of two-year contract. | Served as Toronto (WHA) TV broadcaster while working at a local law firm in 1973-74. | Did not know until 10 years after 1964 draft that he had been chosen by Boston, not Montreal. |
| Set Montreal single-season record (since broken) with a .922 save percentage in 1977-78. | Retired with Montreal record (since broken) for career playoff games by goalie (112). | Named to the all-time NCAA Tournament All-Star team by NCAA hockey panel in 1997. | Ranked by The Hockey News in 1997 as the 25th greatest NHL player of all time. |
| SNAPSHOT '64 | |
| Total Selected: | 24 |
| Forwards: | 13 |
| Defense: | 6 |
| Goaltenders: | 1 |
| Position n/a: | 4 |
| Major Junior: | 0 |
| College Players: | 0 |
| Canadian: | 23 |
| American: | 0 |
| Euro-Canadian: | 1 |
| Reached NHL: | 9 |
| Won Stanley Cup: | 1 |
| Hall of Fame: | 1 |
| All-Star Game: | 3 |
| Year-end All-Star: | 1 |
| Olympians: | 0 |
| Picks Traded: | 0 |
OTHERS DRAFTED IN 1964