NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 4. Ken Dryden
Stats:
- 92.2 save percentage
- 2.24 GAA
- 258 wins
Achievements:
- 5-time All-Star
- 6-Stanley Cup titles
- 5-time Vezina Award winner
Ken Dryden feels somewhat like a “what if,” story. His career left many of us wanting more.
Having only played eight seasons in the NHL, Dryden would undoubtedly be at the top of this list had he simply played longer. But, due to back-and-forth financial issues with the Montreal Canadians in the 1970s, Dryden pursued other ventures.
Still, while he played, he was dominant. His GAA never went above 2.30. Also, his save percentage never dipped below 90.9.
Regardless of his truncated career, Dryden made five All-Star appearances and seemingly won the Stanley Cup every year that he played as he took home six of them. Even with only eight seasons under his belt, Dryden ranks 99th all-time in saves with 10,213. He also sports the third-highest save percentage in history with 92.2. His GAA is also safely in eighth place with 2.24.
At the age of 31, Dryden decided to walk away from the game. Nowadays, goaltenders have played a decade past that age and have been productive. “What if,” moments are normally saved for players who show incredible promise but have their careers cut short due to injuries or other unfortunate circumstances.
In the case of Dryden, he was perfectly healthy and at the top of his game. He simply decided to walk away. While his decision will always be respected, many of us will always wonder what could’ve been.