Bernie Parent, Flyers Legend, Passes Away
The hockey world mourns the loss of Bernie Parent, the iconic goaltender for the Philadelphia Flyers, a Hall of Famer, and a key figure in the team’s two Stanley Cup championships during their golden era. Parent passed away at the age of 80. The news was confirmed by the Flyers, although no additional details were provided about the causes of his death. Joe Watson, former Flyers star defenseman and teammate of Parent, revealed that the goalie had been suffering from severe back pain recently.
After debuting in the NHL with Boston in 1965, Parent was selected by the Flyers in the 1967 expansion draft. After 3 and a half seasons, he was traded to Toronto, but returned to Philadelphia before the 1973-74 season. That season, he won 47 games, the most in the league, and again led the NHL in wins the following season with 44. He retired with the Flyers in 1979 after a 13-year career and 271 victories, 231 of them with the Philadelphia team. In 1979, he was accidentally hit in the right eye with a stick and was temporarily blinded, which ended his career. The Flyers defeated the Bruins in six games to win the Stanley Cup in 1974 and the Buffalo Sabres in 1975. With Parent in goal, the saying “Only the Lord saves more than Bernie Parent” became popular. Parent, along with team captain Bobby Clarke and Dave “The Hammer” Schultz, became stars for the Flyers in an era when the team was known for its rough style of play, earning them the nickname the Bullies. The number 1 of Parent was retired by the Flyers and still hangs in the ceiling of their stadium. In 1984, he became the first Flyers player to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Parent remains the Flyers’ all-time leader in shutouts with 50. Parent was one of the Flyers’ most beloved players and remained connected to the team over the years as an ambassador. The last highlight of his career came in 2011, when Parent was in goal at an outdoor alumni game at Citizens Bank Park before the NHL Classic. The chants of “Bernie! Bernie! Bernie!” echoed throughout the park for the affable goaltender, who played 5 minutes and 32 seconds and stopped all six shots. Each save brought back the chants of “Bernie!”.The legend of Bernie Parent transcended the ice and his achievements. Bernie deeply loved Philadelphia and the Flyers fans. He was passionate about his role as an ambassador for Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education and inspired a whole generation of hockey fans. He dedicated his time, energy, and enthusiasm not only to growing the game, but also to bringing joy to everyone he met.
Flyers Statement
