Tell us about your hometown, family and hobbies.

I was born and raised in Edmonton Alberta, and have grown up with my mom, dad and older sister. My parents named me Dryden after legendary Montreal Canadiens goaltender, Ken Dryden, making me involved in hockey ever since I was born.

How did you originally begin playing hockey (what age as well) and what is your favorite memory from when you were younger?

I began skating at about the age of 3 and started my first season of initiation at the age of 5. One of my fondest memories from my younger hockey years was the 50th annual Edmonton minor hockey week, when my team and I won the tournament, with some of my teammates from that team being friends with me to this day.

Who is your favorite NHL player and who do you model your game after? Why?

One player I like to watch and model my game after is Mathew Barzal. His game revolves around speed with the puck, agility and deception. One of my favorite players of all time was Ryan Smyth, being a player that always carried himself with high class, great character and a humble persona. Although not being the flashiest player on the ice, he played with grit and heart which is something I have always admired. Ryan has always been a player that I have modeled myself after, on and off the ice.

What team do/did you play for? What was your favorite part from the season?

This past year I played for the KC U16 AAA Centennials, but our season was cut short due to the pandemic. We got to make the most of it through online workouts and practices as restrictions eased up. The team, although having many new faces, was able to band together and create chemistry to make the best of the situation.

 What are your top goals as a student athlete? Why are they your top goals?

As a student athlete, I keep a balance between school and hockey, holding my grades in equal importance to hockey as I know they will help me in achieving my goals. I try to set my standards high for school, and I will try to maintain or improve upon my 90 percent core average for next school year.

How important is school from your perspective? Why is it that way?

As a student athlete, I have always held my grades in high regard believing that school is very important, devoting a lot of my time and effort into studying to keep my grades up. I’ve always been encouraged to keep school as a priority, having multiple teachers in my family ensuring I’m on top of my schoolwork and grades.

What would it mean to you to play at the NCAA or Pro level?

One of my biggest goals is to play Division 1 hockey in the NCAA. Getting an education while playing high level hockey is a huge dream of mine. The competitive environment and loud atmosphere that the NCAA provides is definitely something that I’d love to be a part of as a hockey player.

What separates you as a player or person? How do you continue to get better?

I believe what separates me from others as a player is my drive. Being a smaller player in my youth, I was doubted by others many times throughout my life, so I have always had to prove to others what I’m capable of. I am extremely motivated to continuously fine tune and improve my hockey skills, knowing that nothing is going to be given to me, and I have to work for and earn it.

What impact are you looking to have in your sports career? (Community, team, success, etc)

 As a hockey player I want to take my career as far as I can (hopefully the pro level). But yet again, I know it comes with lots of work and dedication, which I am more than willing to bring to the table.