By: When Saskatoon’s James Taman founded the Western Canada Montreal Canadiens Fan Club successful 1989, he was inspired by the 1970s dynasty Canadiens and towering goaltender Ken Dryden.
The goaltender would spell connected to go 1 of the top astatine his position successful NHL history, winning six Stanley Cups and 5 Vezina trophies for goaltender of the year.
On Saturday morning, Taman awoke to 19 matter messages connected his telephone relaying the abrupt news of Dryden’s decease connected Friday astatine the property of 78.
“The first 1 that I looked astatine was of Mr. Dryden passing away,” Taman said. “Just daze number one, because I was not aware, arsenic galore weren’t, that he was moreover sick. It was kept very quiet, very in-house for his family. The daze deed first and past the wounded that I’ve mislaid a friend, an ambassador of lucky and conscionable a awesome group person.”
It’s a nonaccomplishment that has deed the lucky organization hard, pinch fewer extracurricular Dryden’s soul circle knowing he was fighting cancer.
Longtime NHL broadcaster and expert John Shannon said the announcement caught about group wrong the crippled by surprise, adding that Dryden’s 6-foot-4 beingness stature was only dwarfed by what he achieved successful his storied life.
“There was a numbness, I think, that went done the lucky world,” Shannon said. “To deliberation that we lost, yes, a awesome goaltender and a man who won six Stanley Cups successful 8 seasons pinch Montreal, but personification who influenced the game.”
Dryden arrived successful Montreal successful the outpouring of 1971 aft an illustrious NCAA profession astatine Cornell, starring the Canadiens to a Stanley Cup title complete the Chicago Blackhawks and capturing the Conn Smythe Trophy arsenic playoff MVP.
What followed was a ascendant 8 years arsenic a personnel of the Canadiens, surrounded by Hockey Hall of Fame talent specified arsenic Guy Lafleur, Larry Robinson, Yvan Cournoyer, Guy Lapointe, Serge Savard, Steve Shutt and Bob Gainey.
“(Dryden) was benignant of an idol, that full Montreal Canadiens squad was an idol of mine,” St. Louis Blues icon and chap Hockey Hall of Famer Bernie Federko said. “I ever watched the Montreal Canadiens and I was ever truthful excited for them to triumph the Cup, because I ever believed that they were the best.”
Federko, who grew up successful Foam Lake, Sask., supported some Dryden and the Canadiens earlier he began his ain travel to the NHL pinch a three-year stint pinch the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades.
Federko would transverse paths pinch Dryden complete the first 3 years of his career, matching up against his puerility idol successful the 2nd information of the Stanley Cup playoffs successful 1977.
“He was the champion successful the business,” Federko said. “It was a thrill, obviously, watching him and dreaming someday to get to play against him. When I did yet get that chance, it was a existent large thrill for me.”
Dryden’s NHL profession would beryllium complete by the extremity of the 1979 playoffs, arsenic he lifted the Stanley Cup for a sixth and last clip pinch a Game 5 triumph complete the New York Rangers.
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Hockey world, politicians mourn nonaccomplishment of NHL Canadiens fable Ken Dryden
He would time off his lucky profession down to prosecute life successful a rule firm, earlier stints arsenic a sports executive pinch the Toronto Maple Leafs and about 7 years arsenic a personnel of Parliament successful the 2000s pinch the Liberal party.
Dryden would besides spell connected to pen respective books complete his life, including his seminal activity successful 1983, The Game, which documented his last play pinch the Canadiens franchise earlier retiring from the sport.
In 2017, Dryden published Game Change, which focused connected erstwhile NHLer Steve Montador and the effect that concussions and encephalon trauma had connected his life earlier his decease successful 2015.
“I deliberation the about important point was that (Dryden) challenged the norm,” Shannon said. “When that happens, you’re forced to rethink your philosophy, you’re forced to rethink what the crippled intends and wherever we should go. That’s what Ken did, he made group deliberation and made the crippled amended for that.”
The taxable of caput trauma and its effects connected athletes was a awesome origin for Dryden successful his later years, advocating for ways to push the athletics of lucky further and beforehand opportunities for players years down the line.
“I springiness him an atrocious batch of in installments to guidelines up for the crippled aliases the measurement the crippled should beryllium played, the things that he wanted to beryllium amended for the game,” Federko said. “I deliberation that’s really important arsenic the early goes on, that we person guys proceed to measurement guardant and opportunity what they request to opportunity to make the crippled a overmuch amended game.”
Taman looks backmost connected his encounters pinch the six-time Stanley Cup champion fondly, days aft Dryden’s death, pinch 1 gathering sticking retired astatine a banquet astatine the Bessborough Hotel successful Saskatoon years ago. Taman presented Dryden pinch a number of items of Canadiens memorabilia successful the hopes of earning the signature of number 29.
“He was adamant moreover pinch maine that he would motion the items, only connected the information that they were not going to spell location for resale,” Taman said. “I told him they’re for my individual postulation and a mates are for the instrumentality nine for doing our charities. When he was wholly comfortable pinch that, he said, ‘No problem, Mr. Taman, I’ll motion those for you.’
“By the extremity of the conversation, he was calling maine ‘Jim,’ truthful it was beautiful special.”
A show honouring Dryden has been established astatine the Western Canada Montreal Canadiens Fan Club’s celebrated locker room astatine Harold Latrace Arena successful Saskatoon, featuring a life-size cutout of the goaltender and respective autographed jerseys and books — memories of a netminder who made a lasting belief connected Saskatchewan lucky fans, thousands of kilometres away.
“Any activity that he did, he did it pinch a passion and a intent for people,” Taman said. “Never for Ken Dryden, that’s the astonishing portion and I deliberation that’s the legacy. He ne'er did thing for Ken Dryden, he did what he did pinch passion and intent successful his life for others.”
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