The Montreal Canadiens retired the number 29 of legendary goaltender Ken Dryden on Monday night.

Dryden only played 8 NHL season for the Habs back in the 1970s, but his accomplishments during that time were amazing.

He played on 6 Stanley Cup Championships, and won five Vezinas as the league's top goalie.  He also won the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP in 1971 and then won the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year in 1972, the only player to date to accomplish that feat.  He also represented Canada in the memorable 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union.

You can read more about Dryden's accomplishments here .

It was Ken Dryden who turned me into a Montreal Canadiens fan after watching his incredible goaltending help the Habs upset the heavily favored "Big Bad Bruins" in the opening round of the 1971 playoffs. To my then-8 year old eyes, any team who could defeat Bobby Orr and the Bruins had to be a great team, and their goaltender had to be great.

As I grew up in the 1970s, Dryden was an inspiration for me. I was a skinny, bespectacled kid throughout that decade, who then as now was also a bookworm.  Dryden was different from other hockey players and pro athletes. He wore glasses away from the game and was highly intelligent, thoughtful and scholarly.  

Dryden showed me that it was possible to fit outside the stereotype of what an athlete should look and sound like and still be a great athlete.  He was a great athlete I felt I could identify with.

I never became a great athlete like Dryden, but his example fostered my love of sports, especially hockey, something that continued until injury finally sidelined me for good several years ago.

His life after hockey has also proved to be an inspiration for me, to be unafraid to try new things and follow my interests.

There has never been another NHL hockey player like Ken Dryden. There probably never again will be a hockey player like him.

Ken Dryden was, and always will be, my favorite hockey player.