Ken Dryden
One of the best goaltenders of all time has died.
Ken Dryden, who burst on the scene late in the 1970-71 season when the Montreal Canadiens called him up from Halifax of the AHL, led the underdog Habs to one of the greatest upsets of all time.
Phil Esposito and Bobby Orr led the Boston Bruins that year to one of the best regular seasons in NHL history but Montreal took them out in seven.
Dryden won the Conn Smythe as MVP that playoff after they beat Chicago in the final in seven games, then went on to win the Calder Cup as rookie of the year in 1971-72.
Dryden won six Stanley Cups in his eight seasons with Montreal, then went on to practice law before being elected an MP.
He and Tony Esposito backstopped Canada to that improbable win over the Soviets in 1972. He said after the series that during the eighth and final game, in which Canada trailed 5-3 before the comeback, he feared waking up the next day and being the most hated man in Canada.
Ken Dryden, who was 78, had been battling cancer.