Bernie Parent, Flyers legend and Hall of Fame goaltender, dies at 80
Hall of Famer helped the Flyers win two Stanley Cups in the 1970s; no cause of death disclosed.
Bernie Parent, the Hall of Fame goaltender who anchored the Philadelphia Flyers to their two Stanley Cup titles in the 1970s, has died. He was 80. The Flyers announced his death Sunday and did not disclose a cause.
Parent began his NHL career with two seasons in Boston before the Flyers selected him in the 1967 expansion draft. He spent the next three-plus seasons with Philadelphia before being dealt to the Maple Leafs in 1971. After the 1971-72 season, he spent a year with the Philadelphia Blazers of the Western Hockey Association before his rights were returned to the Flyers. With Philadelphia, Parent became the centerpiece of back-to-back Cup runs in which the Flyers swept to the finals and clinched the title in dominant fashion, earning the Conn Smythe Trophy in both postseasons and two Vezina Awards.
In February 1979, a stick punctured a hole near his right eye in his mask during a game against the Rangers, forcing him to retire after the 1979-80 season and causing permanent vision damage.
Over his 13 NHL seasons, including 10 with the Flyers, Parent posted 271 regular-season wins, a .915 save percentage and a 2.55 goals-against average. He added 38 playoff wins.
Off the ice, Parent's impact extended beyond competition. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984 as the first Flyers player to reach the Hall. His No. 1 was retired by the franchise, and he later was inducted into the team's Hall of Fame. He also served as an ambassador for Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education and inspired a generation of fans in Philadelphia.
Following his passing, the Flyers described him as a true legend, one of the most famous and beloved players, and most popular figures in the history of the organization and city of Philadelphia, and noted his work as an ambassador and his devotion to fans.
