Overview

• Montreal announced Dryden’s death on Friday and, citing the family, said the Hall of Famer died after a battle with cancer.
• Geoff Molson called Dryden an extraordinary athlete and person, while Prime Minister Mark Carney praised his service and influence.
• Dryden backstopped the Canadiens to six Stanley Cups in 1971, 1973, and 1976–1979, earning playoff MVP honors in his breakout 1971 run.
• His path was unconventional: drafted by the Bruins at 16 and later traded to Montreal’s rights, he chose to play at Cornell before joining the NHL.
• After retiring in 1979, he became a TV analyst, author, and Maple Leafs president (1997–2004), later serving as Canada’s social development minister; his number hangs in the Bell Centre and he received the Order of Canada.