Ken Dryden's Comments On Larry Robinson

No one benefitted more from The Big Three on Montreal's defense than goaltender Ken Dryden. Just look at his ridiculous career record - 258 wins, 57 losses, and 74 ties. 57 losses in 8 NHL seasons!

I turned to Dryden's epic book, The Game for insight on Serge Savard, Guy Lapointe and Larry Robinson.

Dryden touches on Savard and Lapointe throughout the book, especially Lapointe's love of practical jokes. He is careful not to compare his three teammates too closely. But he does go out of his way to heap tons of praise in the direction of Robinson.

"More than just an outstanding player, Robinson became a presence. It had to do with being so big, so strong, so tough, so agile, that no one knew how good he was and no one wanted to find out. He had a numbing reputation, an imperial manner, and the goods to back them up, a game rooted in defense, opportunities on offense, limited, economic and dominant.

"He was the rare player whose effect on a game was far greater than any statistical or concrete contribution he might make. When he came onto the ice, the attitude of the play seemed to change. Standing in back of him, I could feel it. I could see it, change, growing more restrained, more respectful, as if it was waiting for him, to see what he would do.

"Nowhere was this more evident, or more important, than against the Flyers or the Bruins. They held him in such awe, treating him with an embarrassing, almost fawning, respect, that they seemed even to abandon their style of play when he was around, and with it any hope of winning."