RIP Dave Dryden

[Howie Hodge]

Dave and Ken Dryden

Former NHL goaltender Dave Dryden has passed away at the age of 81.
Dryden, the older brother of Hall of Fame goaltender Ken Dryden, played 203 career NHL games with the New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres and Edmonton Oilers.

On March 20, 1971 at the Montreal Forum, Dave - then with the visiting Sabres - and Ken became the first siblings to face each other in goal in an NHL game.

My personal favorite Dave Dryden story is his brief nickname from the Buffalo Media. "Sod." They got he name from Dave saying the word when a goal would get past him.

Once they found out what it actually meant, they quickly and wisely dropped it....

RIP Dave Dryden.

Click to read more...

 

[Tsujimoto]

Dryden was responsible for many innovations in goalie equipment, including designing an early version of the helmet-cage hybrid mask that is now standard for hockey goalies.

Dave Dryden wasn’t just a great goalie. He was an equipment innovator

Dryden, who passed away this week at 81, pioneered the first cage combination goalie mask and was an instrumental figure...

www.dailyfaceoff.com

 

[Buffalo Norsemen]

DD was late signing before the Sabres 1st expansion season. I believe they were the first brothers to play goal against each other in the nhl (73' Playoffs ?).
@oldgoalie

 

[oldgoalie]

I posted this in another thread earlier….
I met him when we had him speak at our high school hockey end of year banquet. He was super friendly; answered all our questions, and he even gave me mimeographed instructions on how to make a plaster cast of my face and how to make my own fiberglass mask. I had the book from his dad called "Playing the Shots at Both Ends" which he signed for me. He is credited with mask modifications that led to the hybrid cage/mask that everyone uses today. A sad day, indeed. RIP Dave. A pioneer and a genuinely nice guy.

 

[Dex]

Dave and Ken Dryden

Former NHL goaltender Dave Dryden has passed away at the age of 81.
Dryden, the older brother of Hall of Fame goaltender Ken Dryden, played 203 career NHL games with the New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres and Edmonton Oilers.

On March 20, 1971 at the Montreal Forum, Dave - then with the visiting Sabres - and Ken became the first siblings to face each other in goal in an NHL game.

My personal favorite Dave Dryden story is his brief nickname from the Buffalo Media. "Sod." They got he name from Dave saying the word when a goal would get past him.

According to Duffer and Marty on Sabres live, they are the first and only pair of siblings to play goal against each other. Marty did reference Dryden's role in innovating equipment and also his role at the NHL level in eliminating cheater add-ons to equipment that many goaltenders utilized - apparently including Marty, by his own admission. Marty said that he and Dryden had great conversations as he often visited the Sabres locker room in his oversight role

Also interesting is that they mentioned that the Sabres acquired Dryden on the eve of their opening season from the Pittsburgh Penguins for cash.

 

[Buffalo Norsemen]

in the 73 playoffs in Montreal, Sabre's coach Joe Crozier called for a measurement of Ken Dryden's pads and received a penalty which Rene Robert scored on (not sure if this was the OT game winner in that series tbh ?). Had to be blown in by his brother. They must of had a great laugh or rile up over that one!

 

[oldgoalie]

in the 73 playoffs in Montreal, Sabre's coach Joe Crozier called for a measurement of Ken Dryden's pads and received a penalty which Rene Robert scored on (not sure if this was the OT game winner in that series tbh ?). Had to be blown in by his brother. They must of had a great laugh or rile up over that one!

I remember that game and that call specifically...I thought the same thing...ratted on by his brother.

 

[Dex]

I remember that event happening as well. Added another dimension to the series. There was the brother vs brother in goal aspect and then the dynamic of placing team loyalty over family loyalty.

I'm imagining that it took quite a bit of time for that one to turn from conflict and rivalry to fond memories and fun hockey stories.

 

[5 Minute Major]

I saw him play in person once. 79-80 season. Sabres beat the Oilers 9-7. Ed Mio started for the Oilers and was relieved by Dryden.

My very first NHL game I attended.

RIP

 

[jd1970]

I remember that game and that call specifically...I thought the same thing...ratted on by his brother.

The Sabres pr guy Paul Weiland snuck into the Habs dressing room during game 4 at Buffalo. They saved the info for game 5.
When Dave Dryden jumped to the WHA, they really missed him because Roger Crozier was always sick. Should have been with us for the 1975 final.