Parent vs. Dryden in their primes

[Big Phil]

Which goalie was better. Dryden had the better career basically cause he was never on a bad team. Parent was on some poor teams early on in his career so Dryden had a better overall career than him.

But who would you take in their primes? To me the two best goalies in their primes of all time are Sawchuk '50-55 and Hasek '96-99. Hard to imagine anyone better than that.


But who would you rather take a '73-75 Parent
Or a '75-77 Dryden

Parent won the Vezina in '73-74, and '74-75. He won the Cup both years and the Conn Smythe both years. And was first team all-star both years. He still holds the record for wins in '74 with 47.

Dryden won the Vezina in '75-76 and '76-77. He was first team all star both years, won the Cup both years as well. No Conn Smythes. He as well was considered the best goalie in the world at that time.

To me the winner is Parent. Philly had great teams, but they relied much more on Parent's play. Montreal had great offense and the Big three on D. So Dryden wasnt relied upon as much. Still a great goalie but Parent in his prime is better IMO.

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[reckoning]

Ironically I was going to do a thread on the best ten goalies of the 70s, and it`s a safe bet that those two guys would be at the top of everybody`s list; although who comes first is debatable. The thing about primes is that you can argue that Dryden`s entire career was his prime. His only real less than stellar season was `74-`75, the season after his year off. Parent`s prime was definitely only his two Cup seasons. He was never the same after hurting his back in training camp in `75.

In Parent`s favour is that Philadelphia most definitely wouldn`t have won those two Cups without him. Montreal on the other hand, may have won withouit Dryden, then again maybe not. They didn`t win in `74 when he sat out and the dynasty stopped right when he retired in `79 (though there were other departures like Bowman and Lemaire).

Philly didn`t have any all-stars on their defence, but that was mostly because they didn`t rack up many points. When it came to pure defence, Van Impe, Dupont and the Watsons were among the best in the league. Dryden had the best defence in the league in front of him, but that shouldn`t take away from his contributions. Bryan Trottier said that even when you could get a clean shot at Dryden, he was so adept at using his size that he`d give you nothing to shoot at.

In the end it`s a tough call, but I have to pick Dryden. As I mentioned earlier, his prime was his entire career; and 6 Cups in 8 seasons is damned hard to dismiss.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

Dryden had the better career, but I'll take Parent's peak over anyone from the 70's to the present save for Hasek.

 

[Trottier]

All Dryden did was win...win...win...win...win and....

Parent's window of "greatness" was shorter. But as a young hockey lad, circa 1974-76, my lasting memory is that it was nearly impossible to score goals on Parent and the Flyers.

Not sure that Dryden's entire career wasn't his prime, considering his team's ridiculous ability to win Cups during his decade in the NHL. However, "in their prime," edge Parent.

 

[BM67]

Parent had the best peak, if you limit it to two years, but if you stretch it to three or more years, then Dryden catches him.

As for the best 5 year stretch I'd nominate Plante 55-60. He didn't get the respect he deserved for winning 5 staight Vezinas and Cups. He was expected to with the team in front of him, and Harvey on D. But when Harvey left and he won the Vezina again he won the Hart.

 

[Chili]

No way Montreal wins the Cup in 1971 without 29 in my opinion. He was the difference. He was facing one of the best offensive teams of all time (71 Bruins) in the first round. The Hawks were a great team as well that year. He was less of a factor in some of the other Cup years but he was probably on a better team.

Parent was a big factor in the Flyers back to back cups, no diminishing his achievements with the Flyers.

Overall, Dryden has some of the most impressive stats ever compiled by a goaler, including others who played on dynasty type teams.

You'd be pretty strong in net with either player but career wise I would take Dryden.

 

[Puck]

Both are remembered for playing on teams that played stellar defensively. You didn't last long in the slot in front of Parent, someone would take your head off. For Dryden, the puck was in the other end most of the time, his strength was concentration, staying in the game to make that big play when his team made a mistake, he often kept them in the game. For control purposes, I think we'd have to see them play on a different team, a team less committed to defense or a disciplined team system as imposed by a Shero or Bowman at the time.

Interesting that the NHL brain trust at the time chose Rogie Vachon against both Parent and Dryden to play in the Canada Cup in '76 and he rose to the occasion. Resch and Cheevers were the backups. That says a lot too.

Personally, I'd pass on picking who was the greatest. Each did a great job under the system they had to play under. They were a product of their time and their teams. In a different setting, events might have taken a different course.

 

[Big Phil]

Interesting that the NHL brain trust at the time chose Rogie Vachon against both Parent and Dryden to play in the Canada Cup in '76 and he rose to the occasion. Resch and Cheevers were the backups. That says a lot too.

QUOTE]

Even though Vachon was very good, the best IMO not in the HOF, the reason he was chosen was because Dryden was injured and Parent had an eye injury (I believe). Vachon was good, but I'm glad he played and not an over the hill Cheevers by then

 

[Malefic74]

Dryden did win the Conn Smythe in 71 as a rookie with a grand total of 6 games under his belt at the start of the playoffs.

If you had watched the Canadiens back then you'd notice a trend. They were nototriously slow starters. If Dryden faced 30 shots in a game guarantee that 15 of them would be in the first period and there'd be some good scoring chances in there. Scotty often said that the forwards didn't really get going until their opposition got tired of getting stopped by Dryden.

There are some strange parallels between Dryden/Parent and Roy/Hasek. Parent and Hasek were the artists, fantastically gifted athletes who can make you wonder how they did that, but who also have mysterious streaks of poor play. Roy and Dryden were far more analytical in their approach to the game and as a result were more consistent. Both used their size and anticipation to great effect.

In the end the argument comes down to who you would take for one game, winner take all. If I'm the coach I have to lean towards Dryden. It'd be so hard to pass up Parent, but in the end I'd like to know what I'm getting as opposed to betting it all on Jeckyl and Hyde.

In hindsight from a pure numbers POV you could certainly argue that Parent's two magical seasons rank as some of the best play from that position ever. Had voters not been so against awarding the Hart to goaltenders back then I suspect he would have had at least one.

 

[Psycho Papa Joe]

IMO Parent was better at his peak, but Dryden's peak lasted much longer. Dryden was incredibly consistent and only had one mediocre year by his standards (74-75).

 

[brianscot]

Because Dryden played on so many dominant teams, its easy to lessen his legacy as in individual performer.

The year immediately after he retired (79-80), Montreal still scored the most goals in the league (outscoring the flyers, who had that great unbeaten streak that season, by a single goal).

Goaltending by Bunny Larocque and Denis Heron, however, was simply not up to Montreal standards and certainly not championship caliber. Larocque finally got his chance to be a number one goalie and he ended up with a 3.32 goals against average.

Montreals defense did have injuries that year with an aging Guy Lapointe and Serge Savard missing considerable time, but they also possessed Larry Robinson, a burgeoning Rod Langway and Brian Engblom.

The major difference in the Montreal team that year was Dryden's absence. I suspect that teams went into the forum that year and felt at least a shred of hope because they were facing inferior goaltending compared to previous years. Montreal was knocked out in the first round that year by a youthful Minnesota.

Although Parent was spectacular in the Flyer's cup runs, I'd still give the nod to Dryden.

 

[Psycho Papa Joe]

The major difference in the Montreal team that year was Dryden's absence. I suspect that teams went into the forum that year and felt at least a shred of hope because they were facing inferior goaltending compared to previous years. Montreal was knocked out in the first round that year by a youthful Minnesota.

It was actually the second round and Montreal still managed to be within a goal in the 7th game despite having about 10 regulars out with injury. Herron and Laroque played well in that series, but the injuries and the Stars speed killed them.

 

[Snap Wilson]

Dryden was a fine goalie and had one of the best playoff performances I've ever seen in '71, but he probably in the most ideal situation any goaltender has ever been in. One of the league's best defenses ever, a team that kept consistent pressure at the other end of the ice, a competent backup that allowed him plenty of rest... I can't imagine that several other goaltenders wouldn't have had success in that situation. I've always maintained that Rogie Vachon was a better goaltender than Dryden throughout the seventies.

Parent was a motherf**ker in '74 and '75, and although he didn't quite maintain that level, if he could have stayed healthy, it wouldn't even be a question. I'll take Parent.

 

[Rather Gingerly 1*]

I'm the biggest Habs fan there is. But Parent in those 2 years was unbeatable.

Dryden over a career. But those 2 years I have never seen anybody better than Parent. I think we got lucky in '76 when Parent was out with an injury. He never was the same after that

 

[Psycho Papa Joe]

I'm the biggest Habs fan there is. But Parent in those 2 years was unbeatable.

Dryden over a career. But those 2 years I have never seen anybody better than Parent. I think we got lucky in '76 when Parent was out with an injury. He never was the same after that

The series wouldn't have been a sweep, but the Habs would have still won IMO. Likely a 6 or 7 gamer.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

The series wouldn't have been a sweep, but the Habs would have still won IMO. Likely a 6 or 7 gamer.

With a healthy Parent and MacLeish, I think it would have been a coin flip in game 7.

 

[Crosbyfan]

I'll take Dryden at his peak. He was still pretty good after that winning the Calder the next year etc.

 

[Mothra]

I think Parent's performance during those playoffs are the best I have ever seen....

Its hard to pick one over the other, but when looking at Dryden I think its important to look at what happened (or didnt happen) both times he retired. Those were some all time great teams for sure.....but they didnt win without Dryden

 

[Rather Gingerly 1*]

The series wouldn't have been a sweep, but the Habs would have still won IMO. Likely a 6 or 7 gamer.

It's a moot point to argue. But what injury put him out in that series. Was it his eye...if I remember right? I know he was never the same afterwards

 

[nmbr_24]

Being old and being a Bruins fan, I had many chances to see these two great goaltenders beat my favorite team, if I had to take one, it would be Dryden, with no hesitation.

 

[Psycho Papa Joe]

It's a moot point to argue. But what injury put him out in that series. Was it his eye...if I remember right? I know he was never the same afterwards

Not sure what his injury was, but he only played 11 games that season. I don't think it was the eye injury though, because he played three more pretty good years after that season, The eye injury ended his career in 78-79.

 

[CH]

Ironically I was going to do a thread on the best ten goalies of the 70s, and it`s a safe bet that those two guys would be at the top of everybody`s list; although who comes first is debatable.

Its not so clear to me that there are only two goalies in the running for best goalie in the 70's. Along with Dryden and Parent, I would rate Tony Esposito as basically their equal. His prime clearly came in the 70's, but he had a longer career then either that spilled into both the 60's and 80's.

 

[Psycho Papa Joe]

Its not so clear to me that there are only two goalies in the running for best goalie in the 70's. Along with Dryden and Parent, I would rate Tony Esposito as basically their equal. His prime clearly came in the 70's, but he had a longer career then either that spilled into both the 60's and 80's.

On a side note, Espo outplayed Dryden in the 1972 Summit Series. Not winning a cup, despite some excellent Chicago teams early in his career hurts his case though.

 

[chooch*]

Being old and being a Bruins fan, I had many chances to see these two great goaltenders beat my favorite team, if I had to take one, it would be Dryden, with no hesitation.

I think your comments ended this thread. Parents 2 years were some of the best ever, but Dryden and Tretriak were the best in the world for the 70's. Dryden would have won the 71 and 73 Cups for the Hawks.

 

[Ogopogo*]

I think your comments ended this thread. Parents 2 years were some of the best ever, but Dryden and Tretriak were the best in the world for the 70's. Dryden would have won the 71 and 73 Cups for the Hawks.

ALL the best players come from Quebec or play for the Habs. Everybody knows that.