The Philadelphia Flyers announced on Sunday that franchise icon Bernie Parent sadly passed away. He was 80 years old.
“The legend of Bernie Parent reached far beyond the ice and his accolades,” said the Flyers in part of a statement. “Bernie had a deep love for Philadelphia and fans of the Flyers. He was passionate about his role as an ambassador for Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education and inspired an entire generation of hockey fans. He dedicated his time, energy and enthusiasm to not only grow the game, but also to spread joy to anyone he encountered.”
Parent began his NHL career with the Boston Bruins in 1965-66 after spending three seasons with the OHA’s Niagara Falls Flyers, who won the 1965 Memorial Cup with Parent in net.
After two seasons between Boston and their CPHL affiliate in Oklahoma City, Parent was left unprotected and became the first player selected by the Flyers in the 1967 Expansion Draft with the second overall pick. He was the original member of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Parent spent parts of four seasons in Philadelphia before being traded to Toronto midway through the 1970-71 season. He remained with the Maple Leafs and the WHA’s Philadelphia Blazers through 1973 before returning to the Flyers ahead of the 1973-74 campaign.
Parent’s first season back with the Flyers was legendary. He appeared in 73 of the team’s 78 regular season games, winning 47 of them while posting a .932 save percentage, 1.89 goals against average, and 12 shutouts. His win total stood as an NHL record for 33 years until Martin Brodeur won 48 games in 2006-07. Parent’s efforts won him the Vezina Trophy for the first time.
Parent then led the Flyers to their first Stanley Cup championship after taking care of the Atlanta Flames, New York Rangers, and ultimately the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Final. His heroics included a Cup-clinching shutout in Game 6 against Boston, featuring 30 saves in a 1-0 victory at The Spectrum, which led to him winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
1974-75 fared just as well for Parent and the Flyers. He won 44 games, posted a .918 SV%, 2.03 GAA, and 12 more shutouts in the regular season, and they once again won the Stanley Cup, this time over the Buffalo Sabres in the first-ever Final between two expansion franchises. Parent delivered another shutout in Game 6 of the Final with 32 saves as the Flyers won 2-0 at The Aud to go back-to-back. He also captured his second consecutive Vezina Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy in the process.
Parent was forced into retirement in 1979 at the age of 34 after taking an errant stick to the eye in a game against the Rangers, which caused permanent damage to his vision. His number 1 would be retired by the Flyers later that year, and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984 and later the Flyers Hall of Fame in their inaugural class in 1988.
For as beloved as he was on the ice, Parent became just as big of a legend in his post-playing career. Parent helped mentor franchise legends like Pelle Lindbergh and Ron Hextall, who each won the Vezina Trophy and led the Flyers to Stanley Cup Final appearances in 1985 and 1987 before becoming a team ambassador. He was also an ambassador for Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education and was frequently giving back to the community. He could always be seen at Flyers home games or team events and would greet anyone with his infectious smile, a handshake, and his Stanley Cup rings on his fingers.
Bernie Parent defined what it meant to be a Philadelphia Flyer both on and off the ice and still remains as beloved as any athlete in Philadelphia sports history. As he would tell you, it was a beautiful thing.
