Ken Dryden, who won six Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens between 1971 and 1979, sadly passed away on September 5 at the age of 78. Last night, during their home opener, the Canadiens paid tribute to their late goaltender — and fans were deeply moved by the heartfelt homage.
Dryden was drafted 14th overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1964 NHL Draft, but he never played a game for them. Instead, he went on to play 397 games for their greatest rival, the Montreal Canadiens, where he became a true legend.
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Six Stanley Cups
During his eight NHL seasons, the Montreal Canadiens captured six Stanley Cups, while Dryden earned the Calder Trophy, one Conn Smythe Trophy, and an incredible five Vezina Trophies. In his first year of eligibility, 1983, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. The Canadiens retired his iconic number 29 jersey in 2007.
Dryden passed away from cancer on September 5. During the Canadiens’ pregame ceremony last night, the organization honored their beloved goaltender in a touching way. Several of his former teammates took seats on the bench for the ceremony, and Dryden’s signature mask was placed on the net as a moving tribute video played on the scoreboard.
Ken Dryden tribute video
Fans praised the Montreal Canadiens for the emotional ceremony:
“Nobody does it like the Habs,” one fan wrote.
“Montreal is best in class among all sports organizations when it comes to honoring their heroes. Legends never die,” another added.
“The best in the business at tributes and home openers,” a third commented.
The night ended perfectly for Canadiens fans — Montreal defeated the Seattle Kraken in overtime.
Their next game is at home on Thursday against the Nashville Predators.
You can watch the full tribute below.
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