During the NHL’s hiatus, we at the Last Word on Hockey are going to look back at each date’s historical significance to the game. We’ll remember the moments that shaped the sport of hockey that happened on this day. Here’s our look at this date in hockey history for June 28th, featuring Ken Dryden.
Today in Hockey History
Ken Dryden Picked Up by Canadiens
1964: The Montreal Canadiens acquire the future Hall of Famer in a trade with the rival Boston Bruins. Boston deals the 16-year-old with Alex Campbell for Guy Allen and Paul Reid. Dryden decides to go to college to play for Cornell University, where he goes 76-4-1 in three seasons with the Big Red.
He debuts late in the 1970-71 seasons and wins all six games. The Hamilton, Ontario native then wins 12 of his 20 starts to help the Habs win the Stanley Cup. Dryden earns the Conn Smythe Trophy for MVP and then wins the Calder the next season. He wins another Cup in 1973 and backstops the Canadiens to four straight titles in 1976-79.
Other Notable Events
1979: The Winnipeg Jets trade Jamie Hislop and Barry Legge to the Quebec Nordiques for Barry Melrose.
1985: The Detroit Red Wings sign undrafted college free agent centre Adam Oates. He played three seasons at RPI and won the Engineers a national championship.
1990: Boston obtains Chris Nilan from the New York Rangers for Greg Johnson and future considerations.
1993: The New Jersey Devils hire Jacques Lemaire as head coach, replacing Herb Brooks. Lemaire takes the Devils to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final in the first season. New Jersey then wins its first Stanley Cup in 1995.
1994: The Florida Panthers take Ed Jovanovski with the top overall pick of the draft. However, the big news of that day is the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Nordiques make a blockbuster trade. The Leafs send Wendel Clark, Sylvain Lefebvre, Landon Wilson and the No. 12 pick to the Nordiques. Quebec deals Mats Sundin, Garth Butcher, Todd Warriner and the 16th pick. Sundin becomes Toronto’s highest-scoring player with 987 points and becomes a Hall of Fame.
2007: The Hockey Hall of Fame announces its class, including four first-year eligible players. Mark Messier, Ron Francis, Al MacInnis and Scott Stevens are selected in the first year on the ballot. It’s the first time since that’s occurred since 2001 with Mike Gartner, Viacheslav Fetisov, Jari Kurri and Dale Hawerchuk.
Happy Birthday to You
1919: Wally Stanowski
1922: George Gee
1923: Gaye Stewart
1950: Roland Melanson
1957: Lance Nethery
1993: Joel Edmundson; Garret Sparks
