Through stories and tributes, the current Flyers are learning all about the late Bernie Parent’s legacy

The Flyers will honor Bernie Parent, who died at age 80 in September, at 6 p.m. Friday with a public celebration of life at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Coach Rick Tocchet and the Flyers attended Parent’s funeral last month.

Parent, whose No. 1 jersey was retired by the Flyers in 1979, was one of the Flyers’ all-time greats, backstopping the team to its only two Stanley Cup victories in 1974 and 1975 and winning back-to-back Vezina and Conn Smythe trophies in the process. But even with the Hall of Fame goalie’s legacy in Philadelphia, many of the younger members of the current team didn’t know much about Parent until his death, Tocchet said.

“History is big with me, and the young players maybe don’t know a little bit about Bernie,” Tocchet said. “I think it’s important. He’s a foundational piece for the organization over the years. What’s good about the Flyers, he’s one of those guys, right? I think you pay respects to the team and the guys have learned a little bit too, some guys that didn’t know much about Bernie, that asked questions about him.”

» READ MORE: Bernie Parent was the best of the Flyers and the best of Philadelphia. RIP.

The team is paying tribute to Parent through its postgame celebration item, a vintage goalie mask like the one Parent used to wear, which goes to the player of the game after wins. The Flyers are also donning No. 1 patches on their jerseys this season, and have painted Parent’s No. 1 on the ice behind the net they defend twice at each game at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

“Bernie Parent did a lot for this organization, for this city, was involved off the ice as well, in the community,” captain Sean Couturier said after the season opener. “ … Definitely will be missed around here. We’d always see him around at games. Always had that quality of lighting everyone up, putting a smile on everyone’s face.”

Many Flyers alumni will be returning for Friday’s ceremony, Tocchet said, including members of the 1974-75 team like Bobby Clarke, to honor their teammate. Tocchet said this is a great opportunity for the current team to see the impact that legacy Flyers have had on the organization and the fans, on and off the ice.

Parent was a pillar in the community even after his retirement from hockey. He stayed in the Philly area and served as the Flyers’ goalie coach and in other roles within the organization.

» READ MORE: Her late husband coined the ‘Only the Lord saves more than Bernie Parent’ bumper sticker in 1974. It still resonates.

“He lived out on the Shore,” Tocchet said. “Everybody knew him. I know a couple of my buddies live in Avalon. They’d see Bernie on his boat, walking around. He’s part of the fabric of that, of the Shore down there, too. He was accessible.”

Parent also will be honored during Saturday’s game against the New Jersey Devils, including a special puck drop from his family and tributes from former teammates and friends.

Oliver Bonk continued to skate with the Flyers in a noncontact jersey. He is recovering from an upper-body injury that kept him out of training camp. … Sam Ersson and Dan Vladař wore custom goalie masks at practice designed by two local children battling cancer. Thursday’s game against the St. Louis Blues is the team’s annual Hockey Fights Cancer night, and both goalies will wear the masks again during warmups.