A meeting with Ken Dryden is a gift for a journalist. The man expresses himself easily, has a way with words and develops his thoughts like in a book. It’s not for nothing that he has a few under his signature, not all of which have a connection to hockey.
The 17 minutes and 21 seconds he dedicated to reporters at the Journal de Montréal and La Presse on Saturday are material for a book. The former Canadiens goaltender was in the Saint-Laurent neighborhood to attend the unveiling of his famous statue outside Raymond Bourque Arena.
The work was exhibited at Place Vertu for several years and then at the Montreal Trust Center. Real estate firm Ivanhoé Cambridge donated it to the city of Montreal, which placed it in front of the amphitheater that bears the name of the former Boston Bruins star defender.
You can read a text on this topic on the Journal de Montréal and Journal de Québec websites.
If there hadn’t been zero verdicts
After discussing this point with Dryden, the conversation inevitably turned to hockey, and specifically the Canadiens and, in turn, the Toronto Maple Leafs. The spectators surrounding the journalists and Dryden were attentive.
Like all questions asked of him, Dryden launched into a lengthy analysis when I asked him whether the Canadian could one day repeat the great seasons he experienced during his time.
“Hmm… that would be pretty difficult,” he said at the beginning.
“Take last season’s Boston Bruins. In the event of a draw after three game periods, the points are awarded differently. The tie falls after the tiebreaker.”
“How many victories would we have added to our tally if this system had been in place during our time? There was this season where we only suffered eight defeats and I think we only had 30 (actually 29) in three years.
The Habs held an incredible record of 177-29-34 from 1975-1976 to 1977-1978. Assuming that under today’s rules he had won eight of the twelve draws in his fabulous 1976-1977 season, he would have had a total of 68 wins and 140 points.
Ken Dryden carried the Canadian torch with distinction during his short eight-season career in the National League. Archive photo, Ben Pelosse
All up at the same time
The Bruins posted 65 wins and amassed 135 points last year before falling to the Florida Panthers in the first round of the playoffs. The three Canadiens seasons Dryden is referring to ended with Stanley Cup victories.
The Habs added a fourth season in 1978-1979, a season that marked the end of the organization’s great dynastic epic.
“We were fortunate that we were all at the peak of our careers at the same time and surrounded by the right people,” Dryden continued.
“We had the best general manager in hockey in Sam Pollock, the best coach in the history of hockey in Scotty Bowman, the best players and an amphitheater (the Forum) where we found the most passionate, dedicated and knowledgeable fans.” “
“These amateurs got the best out of us. They forced us to be the best. If we beat the Saint Louis Blues 5-3 and performed normally, we would say we weren’t up to the task and that we were better. We knew our worth, we knew we were superior to our opponents.
“In a way – and I don’t say this just as a joke – how could we have lost eight games that season (1975-1976)?” We were better than all of our opponents in those meetings. Why did we suffer defeat? How could that happen?
Dryden added more, but a diary is not a book, we’ll stop there.
Great quote from Billie Jean King
Today, players say the pressure in the Montreal and Toronto markets is too great.
What does Dryden think?
“In one of the stadiums (Center Court) of the US Open Tennis there is a plaque with a quote from Billie Jean King,” he said.
“It’s said, ‘Pressure is a privilege.’ That’s a very good statement.”
This is followed by a sentence that is not on the board.
It says: “Only players who experience this pressure deserve it.”
Destructive traps
Sport is not without danger.
“If you think you’re better than you are, it’s going to be difficult,” Dryden added.
“Pressure can make you a little better, but expectations always go beyond that. Pressure can become destructive when you’re not expected to achieve what people expect of you.”
“As I said, Montreal and Toronto can be the best or worst cities for a player to play in. If you and your teammates live up to expectations, there’s no better place to play. It’s awesome!”
“If you’re not as good as people expect, it’s like running into a headwind in the 100-meter dash. On the other hand, if you meet your expectations, the wind is at your back.”
What’s important to Dryden, however, is that Montreal and Toronto are important markets because of their history.
“The National League has several good teams, but the Canadiens and Leafs are the main organizations. It is important for these teams to be successful. Hockey is better when the Canadiens and Leafs are really good.”
Those who are not so young and have experienced the six-team NHL know how fierce the rivalry was between the two Canadian teams that were part of this group.
Will we see this again one day?
To do this, the Leafs would have to stay on course until the Canadian reaches his level.