#NHLPeachy #WhomWeMiss #BernieParent @NHL Statement from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on the Passing of Bernie Parent

 National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman today released the following statement regarding the passing of Bernie Parent:

“Bernie Parent’s foreboding white mask was the last sight you wanted to see if you were an opposing shooter with a big game on the line. The grinning, welcoming face that mask protected was the first you wanted to see when you walked into a room. 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.

“Having already established himself as a top NHL goaltender in seven seasons with Boston, Philadelphia and Toronto, Parent soared to rare heights upon returning to the Flyers in 1973 after a year in the WHA. In two of the finest consecutive seasons by a goalie in NHL history, Parent won back-to-back Vezina Trophies and Conn Smythe Trophies, backstopping the Flyers to Stanley Cup triumphs in 1974 and 1975. His 47 regulation victories in 1973-74 remain the League’s single-season record.

“His No. 1 having been retired by the Flyers in 1979, Parent was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984 and selected as one of the NHL’s Top 100 Players of all time in 2017. His work with Ed Snider Youth Hockey and Education was only the most visible of the many ways in which he gave back to the city of Philadelphia and served as an ambassador for hockey. The entire National Hockey League family mourns the passing of this beloved icon and sends its deepest condolences to his wife, Gini, his family, and his countless fans and friends.”