Bernie Parent was a Canadian goaltender who backstopped the Philadelphia Flyers to consecutive Stanley Cups in 1974 and 1975, winning back-to-back Conn Smythe and Vezina trophies.
Bernard Marcel Parent was born in Montreal, Quebec in 1945. He is the only player to win the Vezina Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy in consecutive years (1974 and 1975) — winning both awards in both championship seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers. He won two Stanley Cup championships with Philadelphia (1974, 1975) — the Broad Street Bullies teams that were simultaneously the most brutal and most successful franchise of the mid-1970s. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984 and named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in 2017. His goals-against average in those two championship seasons was below 2.0 — exceptional given the era and the team in front of him. An eye injury in 1979 ended his career. He modelled his style on Jacques Plante — who he cited as his primary influence on how to play the position. His back-to-back Conn Smythe wins represent a standard that no goaltender has since matched.
Two-time Stanley Cup champion goaltender with the Flyers
How They Played
Parent was known for his calm, positional style of goaltending and exceptional reflexes. He popularized the stand-up goaltending technique and was particularly effective at controlling rebounds and directing pucks to safe areas.
Lasting Impact
Parent's success with the Flyers helped establish Philadelphia as a hockey town and his goaltending style influenced a generation of netminders.
Career Honours
- Stanley Cup champion (1974, 1975)
- Conn Smythe Trophy (1974, 1975)
- Vezina Trophy (1974, 1975)
- Hockey Hall of Fame (1984)
| Team | Period | GP |
|---|---|---|
| Boston Bruins | 1965–1967 | 57 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 1967–1971 | 145 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 1971–1972 | 63 |