Ken Dryden waves to a Lynah Rink crowd in 2007 during the ceremony to retire his No. 1 sweater for the Big Red

‘Thoughtful, Gracious, and Humble’: Remembering Ken Dryden ’69

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By Jim Roberts ’71

My first encounter with Ken Dryden ’69 was in the fall of 1967. I was a freshman and he was the goalie for the Big Red men’s ice hockey team, crowned national champions earlier that year. I made my first trip to Lynah Rink, and there was Ken, standing in the crease, leaning on his stick, while Cornell’s relentless offense pounded away at the other end.

When the play came his way, he was always focused and sharp, calmly turning away almost every shot.

Ken Dryden as goaltender in action on the ice for the Big Red in an undated photo
Dryden in action in Lynah.

In the two years I watched the tall guy wearing number 1 play at Lynah, the Big Red never lost a game there—and, frankly, few of them were even close. Ned Harkness’s team was very, very good and Ken was a dominant force.

Many years later, in 2009, when I was the editor and publisher of Cornell Alumni Magazine, Ken came back to campus for an event at Bailey Hall. He engaged in a conversation with basketball great and former U.S. senator Bill Bradley, moderated by sports journalist Jeremy Schaap ’91.

In the two years I watched the tall guy wearing number 1 play at Lynah, the Big Red never lost a game there—and, frankly, few of them were even close.

I covered that event for the magazine, noting that both of them had excelled in sports but sometimes struggled in their political endeavors.

Ken said that being an athlete had taught him how to accept criticism, which proved useful when he was running for office. In both sports and politics, he said, you can’t be motivated by what others think of you: “You have to live up to your own expectations, or it won’t be your own life.”

Ken Dryden, right, and Bill Bradley, a former U.S. senator, share a light moment at a 2009 Bailey Hall talk, "Lives on the Run: Sports, Service and Leadership"
lindsay france / cornell university
Dryden (right) and Bradley at their talk, "Lives on the Run: Sports, Service, and Leadership."

I had seen Ken on campus when I was a student, but I never spoke to him. What could I say?

Our first conversation came much later, four years after that Bailey Hall event. The Game, Ken’s classic book about hockey, had just been issued in a 30th anniversary edition, and I called to interview him for CAM. Just as he had been in that conversation with Bill Bradley, he was wonderfully thoughtful, gracious, and humble.

the cover of The Game

A year later, I retired from the magazine and had the first of a series of discussions with Cornell University Press about writing a book on Big Red hockey.

When we came to agreement, I signed on to write Forever Faithful: Celebrating the Greatest Moments of Cornell Hockey, with assistance from Arthur Mintz ’71, the voice of Lynah Rink.

The first thought I had was to ask Ken to write the foreword. Unsure but hopeful, I reached out to him—and he immediately said yes. Not long after that, I received a beautifully written account of Ken’s years at Cornell and how playing hockey for the Big Red had affected his life.

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“When I graduated from Cornell in 1969,” he wrote, “it turned out that I was ready for much more than I knew.”

As I was writing the book, Ken spoke with me at length about his experience on the team, his memories of teammates, and especially about the 1967 NCAA championship game, which was one of the featured contests.

In both sports and politics, Ken said, you can’t be motivated by what others think of you: 'You have to live up to your own expectations, or it won’t be your own life.'

We stayed in touch as Forever Faithful was coming together, and he was complimentary about the finished product when it was published in 2017.

The book, which opens with Ken’s foreword, closes with goalie Mitch Gillam ’17 saying, “Ken Dryden stood in the same crease where I’m playing. That’s pretty damn cool.”

"Forever Faithful" book cover

We were in touch again after the publication of Ken’s book Game Change, about hockey player Steve Montador, who was diagnosed with CTE—the degenerative brain disease that has been linked to head trauma—after his death at age 35. Once again, I interviewed Ken for an article in CAM.

That book launched the last great campaign of Ken’s life, against head injuries in hockey; he was passionate about changing the rules of the game to make it safer for players.

The book Game Change launched the last great campaign of Ken’s life, against head injuries in hockey; he was passionate about changing the rules of the game to make it safer for players.

After the book came out, he spoke at public forums and wrote a series of op-eds. He would often send me links to the articles he had written.

The last time I heard from Ken was just four months ago. He sent an email linked to his remembrance of Bob McGuinn ’69, a teammate who had recently died, which was published in Canadian newspapers—a touching piece with many details about their lifelong friendship.

No. 29 Ken Dryden is pictured alone at the goal for the Montréal Canadiens in an undated photo
Alone in the crease, during his NHL days.

That was Ken Dryden: brilliant, thoughtful, talented, considerate; a gifted writer and one of the greatest hockey players of all time. I am honored to have known him a bit, and proud to be his fellow Cornellian.

A third-generation alum who majored in government in Arts & Sciences, avid Big Red hockey fan and former season ticket holder Jim Roberts ’71 was editor and publisher of Cornell Alumni Magazine from 2000–14. His long career in journalism includes serving as the founding editor of Bass Player magazine.

(Top: Dryden at the ceremony to retire his Big Red sweater number in 2010. All photos courtesy of Cornell Athletics, unless otherwise indicated; book covers provided.)

Published September 8, 2025


Comments

  1. George Weiner, Class of 1964

    Freshman couldn’t play on the varsity when Ken was at Cornell. In a freshman game, where we completely outclassed our opponent, Pop Harkness (Ned’s dad and freshman coach) had Ken skate as a forward – it was very apparent why he was a goal tender! A very ungainly skater, but a lightning quick glove hand in goal.

    After our 1967 NCAA Championship, three friends and I put together a scrapbook that we presented to Ned at the hockey banquet. After the dinner, Ken took around a hockey stick, got autographs from his teammates and presented it to us.  A very thoughtful guy in more ways than one.

  2. NICHOLAS KASS, Class of 1965

    As a former High School soccer goalie ,I always tried to sit behind the goal that the “BIG KID” defended in the first and third period which he spent primarily leaning on his stick as the Red offense controlled the game. As a Sun sportswriter I would often jokingly “critique” his play and tell him (somewhat fearful) of all the Canadian dollars that were there for his taking while “warning” him that if took them Cornellians who did grown up as Rangers, Bruin, Black Hawk or Red Wing fans, collectively a very unsympathetic lot would boo him as “the enemy”
    His governmental/political career demonstrated an understanding and caring for his fellow Canadians. I believe had he been more forceful and politically less scrupulous he could have been Canada’s Prime Minister
    We can truly say Cornell had a”G O A T’ both as a goaltender and as a human being

  3. Michael Young, Class of 1968

    Ken was an exceptional person both on and off the ice. Always thoughtful and remarkably modest. I’ll always remember a conversation at a reception for the Big Red Hockey Team in Boston after a team victory over an arch rival. Also in attendance at that reception, were members of some Cornell team that had come down from competition at Dartmouth earlier that day. Ken was standing beside his future wife patiently answering questions from the crowd. One younger coed from that other team asked Ken: “What shot do you find most difficult to stop?” Without hesitation, Ken answered: “The one that keeps getting larger.” She walked away with a somewhat perplexed expression on her face. 😅
    RIP, Ken. Thanks for the memories.

  4. Jim Piersanti, Class of 1969

    I was a teammate of Ken on the freshman baseball team of 1965 and a fellow member in the Red Key Society. Ken Dryden remains the most impressive individual I’ve had the privilege of meeting at Cornell. He was always extrememly modest, friendly and thoughtful. His passing means that, not only have we lost a truly gifted athlete, but a remarkable human being whose accomplishments continued long after he left the goal crease. Thanks for being a friend, Ken.

    • Doug Roberts, Class of 1969

      You and Ken were teammates on the 1966 Cornell Freshman baseball team, not 1965. I was a teammate of yours and Ken’s.

  5. Ann Sulliavn, Class of 1969

    Like Ken, I was a history major. That meant we encountered each other in classes. What is extraordinary is how ordinary Ken was as a classmate. He spoke, listened and was attentive as most of us were then. He was just like us, never strutting or posing. Just there to learn. I do have one funny memory. In a lecture class, I noticed his girlfriend Linda whom I also knew , taking notes. I cocked my eye at her. She replied that Ken was away and wanted to know what went on in class. No wonder they had a long and good marriage. And I was at that NCAA final in 1967. What a thrill!!!!

  6. John Wilson, Class of 1964

    I was at a game at Dartmouth. Ken led the team onto the ice. For some reason the rest of the team lagged behind. A Dartmouth fan commented that it seems Cornell is just going to play Dryden tonight.

  7. fred schueler, Class of 1970

    “People who don’t spend much time thinking about things can make it too easy on themselves.” Ken Dryden, CBC Radio, The House, 10 July 2004.

  8. Andrew Goldstein, Class of 1969

    Many Cornell sporting events were exciting, but the few hockey games I was privileged to attend between 1966 and 1969 were nonpareil, in no small part because of Ken tending goal. The puck almost never got past him. He was enthralling to watch.
    Thank you, Canada!

  9. Tom Guise, Class of 1966

    Ken was the most remarkable talent I knew at Cornell. He shared his many gifts as a fraternity brother and next door house roommate in 1965-66.
    I will miss greatly our continued special friendship.

  10. Bruce McLennan, Class of 1976

    I was always a Montreal Canadiens fan, Ken Dryden was my favourite player and person from those teams.
    You must understand, in Canada, Cornell now has an exalted status due to its important place in Ken’s life. Canadians, especially Hab fans,and even Torontonians- where Ken grew up and was President of Toronto Maple Leafs, have a special place in their hearts for this man. Canadians were reminded of the contributions he made as a Liberal cabinet minister, including providing for improved childcare funding for families. The list goes on.
    I am a grad from Western University in Ontario, however, you may find it appropriate to include this as an example of Cornell’s profile from afar, although I hope to visit there in the near future.

  11. Gerry Langeler, Class of 1972

    While I only got to see Ken play one year at Cornell (I arrived fall 1968). I did have that joy having stayed in line for three days to get season tickets! My memory there was when fans would boo when the other side scored a goal. They weren’t booing Ken, of course. They were booing the player who scored for not showing proper respect!

    My fondest memory of him after Cornell was one time when Montreal played Boston in the Garden. It may have been in the Stanley Cup playoffs, but the specific game memory is dim. But the memory of the play is not.

    Phil Esposito was parked in the slot for Boston and the puck came to him. He fired a shot and Ken saved it with his pads. But it rebounded right back to Espo. He shot again and Ken saved it with his blocker. But the rebound went right to Espo, again. He shot again and Ken made a glove save and held on. It was bang-bang-bang in rapid succession.

    Esposito went over the the boards in the corner and was pounding his stick against the glass in frustration. When you get an All-Star opponent that upset based on the quality of your play, that says a lot!

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