Bernie Parent facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bernie Parent |
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| Hockey Hall of Fame, 1984 | |||
Parent in 2011
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| Born | April 3, 1945 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
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| Died | September 21, 2025 (aged 80) Avalon, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||
| Weight | 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Caught | Left | ||
| Played for | Boston Bruins Philadelphia Flyers Toronto Maple Leafs Philadelphia Blazers |
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| Playing career | 1965–1979 | ||
Bernard Marcel Parent (born April 3, 1945, and passed away on September 21, 2025) was a famous Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for teams like the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins, and Toronto Maple Leafs. He also played one season in the World Hockey Association (WHA). Many people consider Parent to be one of the greatest goalies ever.
He had two amazing seasons in 1973-74 and 1974-75. During these years, his team, the Philadelphia Flyers, won the Stanley Cup championship twice! Parent also won two important awards: the Vezina Trophy for best goalie and the Conn Smythe Trophy for being the most valuable player in the playoffs. He was so good that he recorded 30 shutouts (meaning he didn't let any goals in) during those two seasons.
Parent was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984. He was also named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history in 2017. Even today, he is a beloved figure among hockey fans in Philadelphia.
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Early Life and Hockey Dreams
Bernie Parent was the youngest of seven children. He grew up in a place called Rosemont, Quebec, near Montreal, Canada. When he was a boy, his biggest hero was Jacques Plante, a famous goalie for the Montreal Canadiens. It was a cool coincidence that Plante's sister lived in Bernie's neighborhood! Bernie often watched for Plante to visit his family. Later, in 1971, Bernie even got to play on the same team as his hero, the Toronto Maple Leafs. Plante, who was 43 at the time, became Bernie's teammate and helped him learn a lot.
Bernie was a Québécois, which means he grew up speaking French. Sometimes, speaking English was a bit tricky for him, especially when he was excited. In his early career, he preferred not to do interviews in English because he worried about saying something wrong.
Starting His Professional Career
Bernie Parent first played for the Niagara Falls Flyers in a junior league. He was a great player even then, winning an award twice for having the lowest goals-against average (meaning he let in very few goals). In 1965, his team won both the OHA championship and the important Memorial Cup championship.
He started his professional journey with the Boston Bruins in the 1965-66 season. He played in 39 games that year. The next season, he split his time between the Bruins and their minor league team in Oklahoma.
Joining the Philadelphia Flyers
In 1967, the NHL expanded, and new teams were formed. Bernie Parent was chosen by the Philadelphia Flyers to be one of their first goalies. He shared the goaltending duties with another player, Doug Favell, during the Flyers' very first season. Bernie played well, helping the Flyers finish first in their division.
For the next two seasons, Bernie became the main goalie for the Flyers. He played in many games and showed off his impressive skills, making lots of saves.
A Quick Stop in Toronto and the WHA
In 1971, Bernie was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. This was a special move for him because he got to play alongside his childhood hero, Jacques Plante! Plante, who was much older, helped Bernie become an even better and more skilled goalie. Bernie played well for the Leafs, gaining important experience in regular season games and playoffs.
After his time with the Leafs, Bernie decided to try a new league called the World Hockey Association (WHA). He joined the Philadelphia Blazers. He played many games for the Blazers, facing a lot of shots. After a short time, he wanted to return to the NHL. So, in 1973, the Maple Leafs traded Bernie's rights back to the Philadelphia Flyers.
Becoming a Stanley Cup Champion
The years 1973 to 1975 were the best of Bernie Parent's career. Many hockey experts say his playing during this time was some of the greatest ever by a goalie. He recorded an amazing 30 shutouts in total during these two seasons!
In the 1973-74 season, Bernie played in 73 games and led the league with a fantastic 1.89 goals-against average and 12 shutouts. He even started the season with two shutouts! He won the Vezina Trophy (given to the best goalie) and was named an All-Star. Most importantly, he won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs. That year, the Flyers won their first-ever Stanley Cup championship against the Boston Bruins. In the final game, Bernie made an incredible save in the last few minutes, keeping the Bruins from scoring and securing the win!
The next year, 1974-75, was just as good! Bernie had another 12 shutouts and won his second Vezina Trophy and second Conn Smythe Trophy. The Flyers won the Stanley Cup again, this time against the Buffalo Sabres. Bernie famously shut out the opposing team in the final game of both Stanley Cup wins. During these years, a popular saying in Philadelphia was, "Only the Lord saves more than Bernie Parent!"
Injuries and Retirement
As the Flyers aimed for a third championship, Bernie faced a challenge. Before the 1975-76 season, he had a neck injury that needed surgery. This meant he could only play in a few games that year. Even though he returned later, he couldn't quite get back to his top form. Without his amazing performance, the Flyers lost in the Stanley Cup finals that year.
Hockey was also changing. More goals were being scored, and new styles of goaltending were appearing. Bernie, like his mentor Jacques Plante, used a "stand-up" style. This meant he stayed on his feet more to block shots. Later, the "butterfly" style, where goalies drop to their knees to cover the bottom of the net, became more popular. Many consider Bernie Parent to be one of the last great "stand-up" goalies.
On February 17, 1979, Bernie's career sadly ended due to an eye injury during a game against the New York Rangers. A stick accidentally went through the eye hole of his mask, causing permanent damage to his vision. This incident, and others like it, led to changes in goalie mask designs. Many goalies started using masks with cages to protect their eyes better. Bernie retired at age 34.
After Hockey
After Bernie Parent retired, the Flyers honored him by retiring his jersey number, 1, on October 11, 1979. This means no other Flyers player will ever wear that number again. He continued to work with the Flyers team for several years as a goaltending coach. He helped train future star goalies like Ron Hextall and Pelle Lindbergh. Later, he became an Ambassador of Hockey for the Flyers, often seen at home games.
Bernie was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984. He was also ranked among the top 100 greatest hockey players by The Hockey News.
In 2011, Bernie Parent announced he would play in the 2012 NHL Winter Classic Alumni Game. He started in goal for the Flyers, playing for five minutes and stopping all five shots he faced, including a breakaway! He was even named the first star of the game.
Bernie Parent remains one of the most popular and memorable Flyers players from their championship teams. Fans in Philadelphia still cheered "Bernie...Bernie...Bernie" whenever he was recognized at events.
Personal Life
Bernie Parent lived in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and also had a home in Wildwood Crest, New Jersey. For part of the year, he enjoyed living on his yacht. He is survived by his wife, Gini Gramaglia, and his three children.
Bernie Parent passed away on September 21, 2025, at the age of 80. He died peacefully in his sleep.
Awards and Achievements
- Memorial Cup championship in 1965.
- Selected to the WHA Second All-Star Team in 1973.
- Selected to the NHL First All-Star Team in 1974 and 1975.
- Conn Smythe Trophy winner in 1974 and 1975.
- Vezina Trophy winner in 1974 and 1975.
- Stanley Cup championships in 1974 and 1975.
- Played in the NHL All-Star Games in 1969, 1970, 1974, 1975, and 1977.
- Class Guy Award winner in 1979.
- His #1 jersey was retired by the Philadelphia Flyers on October 11, 1979.
- Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984.
- Ranked number 63 on The Hockey News list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players in 1998.
- Inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.
Bernie Parent also co-wrote a book called "Journey Through Risk and Fear." The book shares his experiences and how to overcome challenges and achieve goals.
Records
- Bernie Parent once held the record for most wins in a single season with 47 wins in 1973-74. This record was later broken by Martin Brodeur in 2006-07. However, Parent's 47 wins are still the record for most wins in a season without overtime or shootouts.
- Parent was the fourth hockey player and third goalie to appear on the cover of Time magazine, on February 24, 1975.
See also
