Bernie Parent, an esteemed member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and considered among the very finest NHL goaltenders ever, has passed away, according to an announcement shared by the Philadelphia Flyers. He reached the age of 80.
Parent skillfully guided the Flyers to consecutive Stanley Cup victories in the years 1974 and 1975 as part of the famed “Broad Street Bullies” team. Notably, he was also honored with the Conn Smythe Trophy, recognizing him as the most valuable player during the league’s playoffs, in addition to receiving the Vezina Trophy, which celebrates the sport’s premier goaltender, in both of those momentous Stanley Cup-winning seasons.
Parent initially entered the NHL scene with the Boston Bruins back in 1965. However, he was left unprotected during the 1967 expansion draft, which ultimately led to his selection by the Flyers. The Canadian goalie was later traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1970 but eventually made his way back to the Flyers through another trade transaction in 1973.
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During his initial season upon returning to the Flyers, he achieved a league-leading 47 wins in the 1973-74 season. Parent also topped the league in wins with 44 during the 1974-75 season, contributing significantly to Philadelphia’s triumph in securing their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship.
In 1979, Parent sustained a career-ending eye injury on Feb. 17 during a game against the New York Rangers, which ultimately prompted him to announce his retirement from the sport at the age of 34. Following the incident, Parent experienced a temporary loss of vision for a duration of two weeks; however, he eventually regained his eyesight.
Parent concluded his NHL career with a 271-198-119 record, accompanied by a 2.55 goals-against-average, a .915 save percentage, and an impressive 54 shutouts across 13 seasons, with 10 of those seasons being dedicated to the Flyers.
In 1984, Parent achieved the distinction of becoming the first Flyers player to be honored with induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Furthermore, his jersey number, No. 1, was officially retired by the franchise as a tribute to his contributions. Parent continues to hold the record for the highest number of regulation wins, totaling 47, in a single season, which he accomplished during the 1973-74 campaign.
