As we approach a new season on the ice, a bittersweet feeling has engulfed the hockey world. Ken Dryden, Eddie Giacomin and Bernie Parent, three Hall of Fame goaltenders from one of the sport’s best eras, have passed away in the month of September.
Dryden died on Sept. 5 after a battle with cancer. Dryden led an illustrious life both inside and outside hockey. As the Montreal Canadiens’ goalie from 1971-79, he won six Stanley Cups, including their four straight victories from 1976-79 and five Vezina Trophies for the league’s best goalie. In his rookie season, he won both the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff most valuable player and the Calder Memorial Trophy for Rookie of the Year.
A critical piece of the Canadiens’ dynasty that helped establish them as the most successful franchise in the NHL, Dryden’s impact was felt far beyond the sport of hockey. He has been hailed as one of the best representatives of Canada both during his hockey career and his time in public service after hanging up the skates. He served as Minister of Social Development from 2004-2006 and as a member of Parliament from 2004-2011. He penned several books, the most famous, 1983’s “The Game,” receiving a nomination for the Governor General’s Award and gaining recognition as a must-read for hockey devotees. He also dabbled in broadcasting, and was on the call for one of the most legendary sports moments in American history during the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” run to the gold medal for the U.S. Olympic team. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney paid tribute to Dryden on social media: “Few Canadians have given more, or stood taller, for our country. Ken Dryden was Big Canada. And he was Best Canada. Rest in peace.”
Local legend Giacomin, who passed away on Sept. 14, became a model of consistency and grit during his nine seasons as the starting goaltender for the New York Rangers. From 1967-70, he led the NHL in games played, and led in shutouts in 1967, 1968 and 1971, sharing the Vezina with teammate Gilles Villemure in 1971. Rangers fans might cringe at the memory of Giacomin being placed on waivers and claimed by the Detroit Red Wings following a slow start to the 1975-76 season. He returned to Madison Square Garden two days after joining Detroit, which made for a highly emotional and memorable moment as the Blueshirts faithful chanted his name before the national anthem and booed when their own team scored on Giacomin. The Red Wings won the game, and it’s now remembered as one of the greatest moments in the illustrious history of the Garden. He is a member of the 1987 class of the Hockey Hall of Fame and had his number one retired by the Rangers, their second number retirement after the legendary Rod Gilbert.
Parent, who passed away Sept. 21, was beloved by the Philadelphia Flyers and hockey communities, leading the team to their first and thus far only two Stanley Cups in 1974 and 1975. Putting together two of the greatest goalie seasons of all time in a row, Parent won both the Conn Smythe and Vezina trophies in those Cup-winning seasons, when the team was nicknamed the “Broad Street Bullies” for their aggressive play style. Parent was the quintessential Flyer. His number one was retired by the team in 1979, the second number to be retired in their history. There is a statue of Parent and teammate Bobby Clarke hoisting the Stanley Cup in South Philadelphia. Whenever he made an appearance at Flyers events long after his retirement in 1979, chants of “Bernie, Bernie, Bernie!” would rock the arena. He was the first Flyer to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, as a member of the class of 1984.
The 1970s NHL was filled with drama, dynasties and larger-than-life figures. These three goaltenders helped set the standard for future netminders and were representative of one of the most enticing and famed eras in the sport’s history. It’s difficult to summarize these three illustrious careers, but Dryden, Giacomin and Parent will all be remembered and mourned by every member of the hockey community for years to come.
