Ken Dryden, Hall of Fame goalie, dies at 78

Ken Dryden, the Hall of Fame goaltender who backstopped the Montreal Canadiens to six Stanley Cup championships in the 1970s, died Friday after a battle with cancer. He was 78. The Canadiens announced his death and said Dryden's family has asked for privacy as they mourn.

Dryden emerged as one of hockey's defining figures during a relatively brief but brilliant NHL career. He made his Canadiens debut in the 1970-71 season, helping lead the team to the Stanley Cup and winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. Over eight seasons with Montreal he won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year and claimed the Vezina Trophy five times as the league's top goaltender. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983.

"Ken Dryden was an exceptional athlete, but he was also an exceptional man," Canadiens owner Geoff Molson said in a statement. "Behind the mask he was larger than life. We mourn today not only the loss of the cornerstone of one of hockey's greatest dynasties but also a family man, a thoughtful citizen, and a gentleman who deeply impacted our lives and communities across generations."

Dryden's on-ice numbers are often cited in slightly different forms in published...