He Made A Difference

It's never a good day in the hockey world when one has to speak of the passing of one of the truly great players, but today's announcement of Ken Dryden's passing arguably turns today into a sad day for both hockey and society. While Dryden was an exceptional hockey player who played on some incredibly talents Montreal Canadiens teams, his work off the ice where he pushed for hockey to change its ways regarding brain injuries and the books he wrote on that subject are second-to-none. Having met the man at a book signing, I can say the news of losing Ken Dryden after a battle with cancer puts a dark cloud on this day.

I won't go over all his stats and accolades that he acquired through his years of hockey because you can find those on the internet with a simple search. What I will say is that meeting him during the release of his book, Game Change, was truly an honour as he seemed thrilled to chat hockey for a few moments with everyone who sought his autograph. He was kind, he was thoughtful, he was engaging, and he was very humble as people spoke of his hockey greatness.

My meeting with him lasted probably for 30-45 seconds as the line to meet Dryden was long at McNally Robinson, but he appeared to be genuinely thrilled that I mentioned how I support his belief in changing hockey to protect players' brains. He asked me how I was involved and I told him I have a radio show about hockey, and he implored me to continue talking about the impact that head trauma injuries have on players. After signing my copy of Game Change, he thanked me for his support and told me to reach out to his representatives if we wanted him as a guest on The Hockey Show.

If there's one regret I'll hold onto in this world, it's not acting upon that offer. My problem was that I viewed Ken Dryden like he was hockey royalty, thinking that he'd never want to spend an hour chatting with our little radio endeavour. I missed the hidden message in his invitation to contact him where he was happy to have a radio show wanting to talk about head injuries and the long-term effects of those injuries from hockey. It took me far too long to realize that, and I will regret missing out on what could have been an interview that I'm quite sure would have been a radio highlight for me.

Tackling a subject like head injuries certainly requires sensitivity to those suffering with the long-term effects from those injuries and the families who saw their loved ones suffer through the effects is never easy. Dryden's efforts weren't about glamourizing that pain felt by those with whom he spoke, but to educate and inform the public about why further research is needed, why the medical community's progress in studying these injuries needs to continue, and why hockey needs to change in order to protect the long-term health of its players. Throughout all his writing, speaking, and presentations about hockey head injuries, he was respectful of those who had or were suffering, and it's this human touch that, to me, made Dryden an authority on the subject. Whenever Dryden spoke with purpose and articulation on protecting players, it was required listening.

I will say that Ken Dryden did make an appearance on another UMFM show as Michael Elves sat down with him to discuss The Class, his last book that was all about catching up with old classmates from Etobicoke Collegiate Institute. Michael and Ken have a great chat on the January 3, 2024 episode of the show about his book and former classmates, and it makes me wish I had reached out to him!

My stupidity aside, Ken Dryden was a heckuva hockey player, but an even better person in my view. There have been guys who have advocated for their fellow players in other instances - Carl Brewer and Ted Lindsay, for example - but Ken Dryden wasn't trying to do it to help players make more money or to form a union. He was looking to make hockey safer for all hockey players: from minor hockey to beer league hockey in both men's and women's hockey.

I know there will be a lot of people celebrating his career today when it came to him playing for the Canadiens and against the Soviet Union in the Summit Series, but I've only seen video of that as it was beyond my time on this planet. Instead, I'll remember him for the man he was in my time - a hockey-star-turned-politician whose books and advocacy worked to make the game better. What he did on the ice won't be forgotten, but my hope is that his advocating for better safety and working conditions for hockey players becomes his legacy.

Rest in peace, Mr. Dryden. For 78 years, you made the game better.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!