Ken Dryden

The Honourable
Ken Dryden
PC OC
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1983
Dryden with the Montreal Voyageurs c. 1970
Born (1947-08-08)August 8, 1947
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Died September 5, 2025(2025-09-05) (aged 78)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight 205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for Montreal Canadiens
National team  Canada
NHL draft 14th overall, 1964
Boston Bruins
Playing career 1970–1979
Minister of Social Development
In office
July 20, 2004 – February 5, 2006
Prime MinisterPaul Martin
Preceded byLiza Frulla
Succeeded byDiane Finley
Member of Parliament
for York Centre
In office
June 28, 2004 – May 1, 2011
Preceded byArt Eggleton
Succeeded byMark Adler
Personal details
Political partyLiberal
SpouseLynda Dryden
Alma materCornell University (BA)
McGill University (LLB)

Kenneth Wayne Dryden PC OC (August 8, 1947 – September 5, 2025) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender, politician, lawyer, businessman and author. He played for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1971 to 1979, winning the Stanley Cup six times, the Vezina Trophy as the goaltender on the team allowing the fewest goals five times, and the Conn Smythe Trophy along with the Calder Memorial Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs and rookie of the year respectively over the course of his rookie campaign. He was elected as member of the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983. Thereafter, Dryden served as a Liberal Member of Parliament from 2004 to 2011 and was appointed Minister of Social Development from 2004 to 2006 for which he was named an Officer of the Order of Canada.[1] In 2017, the NHL commemorated him as one of the league's 100 Greatest Players.[2][3] He received the Order of Hockey in Canada in 2020.[4]

  1. ^ Cohen, Gail J. (December 31, 2012). "7 in legal profession get Order of Canada honours". Canadian Lawyer Magazine. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  2. ^ Coffey, Wayne (January 1, 2017). "Ken Dryden: 100 Greatest NHL Players". NHL.com. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  3. ^ NHL (March 22, 2017), Ken Dryden won Conn Smythe before he won Calder, archived from the original on December 12, 2021, retrieved April 25, 2017
  4. ^ "Class of 2020 unveiled for Order of Hockey in Canada". Hockey Canada. February 11, 2020. Retrieved February 11, 2020.