Flyers Goaltender Bernie Parent Will Be Remembered As An All-Time Philly Sporting Hero

Parent passed away at age 80 on Sunday.

He was an original member of the Flyers in their inaugural 1967–68 season. Parent played an instrumental role in turning the Flyers from an expansion franchise that was initially greeted with skepticism into a town of hockey diehards.

Through Parent’s skillful netminding, the passionate leadership of Bobby Clarke and the fisticuffs of Dave “The Hammer” Schultz, the Flyers became the most feared team in hockey.

Parent was so popular that Philadelphians decorated their cars with bumper stickers that read: “Only The Lord saves more than Bernie Parent.”

When the Flyers lifted the Stanley Cup in 1974 and 1975, Parent elevated his play to mythical levels by capturing back-to-back Vezina and Conn Smythe trophies. He recorded a combined .929 save percentage during the 1974 and 1975 postseasons.

Unfortunately, his career was ended prematurely by an eye injury in 1979. He was forced to hang up his pads at age 34. Following his playing career, Parent devoted much of his time to youth clinics and representing the Flyers proudly as an ambassador.

Parent’s No. 1 jersey was the second to be retired in Flyers’ history, following Barry Ashbee’s No. 4. He became the first Flyer to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984 — and he was named to the NHL’s all-time 100 Greatest Players in 2017.

Chants of "Bernie… Bernie… Bernie" will forever be shouted in the streets of Philadelphia and inside Xfinity Mobile Arena. He will always be a part of the Flyers’ fabric.

Rest in peace to the great Bernie Parent.