Hall of Fame goaltender Bernie Parent dies at 80

Former Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Bernie Parent has died at the age of 80. The Hall of Famer, who was a beloved figure in Philadelphia and the broader hockey community, passed away overnight in his sleep on Sunday, September 21, 2025.

Bernie Parent was a legendary hockey player, a goalie for the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1970s. He was a key part of the team, known as the “Broad Street Bullies,” that won two back-to-back championships, the Stanley Cups, in 1974 and 1975.

During those championship seasons, he was so good that he won the two most important awards for a goalie: the Vezina Trophy (for the best goalie in the regular season) and the Conn Smythe Trophy (for the most valuable player in the playoffs).

He won both of these awards in both of those years, which is a very rare achievement. His number, 1, was retired by the Flyers, and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Even after he retired from playing, he remained a popular figure and an ambassador for the Flyers, often appearing at games and community events. He was known for his love of life and his kind, outgoing personality.

Joe Watson, his former teammate, said Parent was in a lot of pain recently due to a bad back, but he still saw him at a function just a couple of nights before he passed away.

The Flyers organisation and the NHL have issued a statement remembering Parent as a true legend and a person who brought joy to everyone he met.

Gary Bettman, the NHL Commissioner, said:

“At his unbeatable, unflappable best on the ice when the stakes were highest, Bernie was a warm, gregarious bear of a man off the ice who was venerated in Philadelphia and adored throughout the hockey world.”

Why did Bernie Parent retire?

Bernie Parent retired in 1979 after an eye injury he sustained during a game.