Dryden: Game may only be a habit

Associated Press
Published February 9, 2005

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OTTAWA - Hockey Hall of Famer Ken Dryden thinks the lockout has taught many fans that their love for Canada's game is more habit than heartfelt.

The revelation could damage the league long after the lockout ends, he said Monday. Dryden is now a member of Canada's parliament and Minister of Social Development.

"I think that there are a number of fans in this country who have sensed over the last number of months that actually maybe it was more habit than it was passion," Dryden said.

Dryden, a former Maple Leafs president and six-time Stanley Cup champion as a goalie for the Canadiens, sees no refereeing role for the federal government at this time. It's up to the players and owners to find common ground, he said.

"They're so philosophically widely separated that I'm not sure where the conversation begins with them," he said.