Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Center was a night of both nostalgia and high-octane hockey, as the Philadelphia Flyers paid tribute to the late, great Bernie Parent during their pre-season home opener against the Boston Bruins. The air was thick with emotion as fans, players, and alumni gathered not just to watch a game, but to honor a legend whose legacy in Philadelphia—and the wider hockey world—remains unmatched.
Parent, who sadly passed away on September 21, 2025, at the age of 80, was the backbone of the Broad Street Bullies era, backstopping the Flyers to consecutive Stanley Cup victories in 1974 and 1975. His accolades include two Conn Smythe Trophies—awarded to the playoff MVP—and three Vezina Trophies, cementing his status as one of the greatest goaltenders in NHL history. As the Flyers faithful packed the arena, it was clear that this night was about more than just the scoreline; it was about celebrating a man who became the face of Flyers hockey for generations.
The tribute began with a poignant moment of silence, followed by stirring video highlights of Parent’s career. Longtime anthem singer Lauren Hart, a fixture in Philadelphia sports, delivered emotional performances that brought tears to many eyes in the building. Fans held up signs and wore jerseys emblazoned with Parent’s iconic number 1, and social media buzzed with heartfelt memories and stories from alumni and supporters alike. As one famous bumper sticker once declared, “Only the Lord saves more than Bernie Parent.”
Though the Flyers ultimately fell to the Bruins in a 4-3 thriller, the result almost felt secondary to the occasion. The Wells Fargo Center was transformed into a living museum of Flyers history, with Parent’s legacy front and center. The Flyers organization announced that a private service for Parent will be held on October 3, 2025, allowing family, friends, and former teammates to say their goodbyes to a man whose impact stretched far beyond the ice.
Parent’s influence reached deep into the Philadelphia community. He was a tireless supporter of local causes, lending his time and fame to organizations like St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children and the Philadelphia SPCA. Stories of his generosity and kindness have poured in since his passing, underscoring the profound connection he maintained with the city he called home. For many, Bernie Parent was more than a hockey player—he was a symbol of hope, resilience, and community spirit.
While the Flyers honored their past, another Eastern Conference powerhouse is busy preparing for the future with an eye on making more history. The Tampa Bay Lightning, one of the NHL’s most successful expansion franchises, are looking to bounce back after a disappointing first-round playoff exit in 2024. With three championships and two other trips to the Cup Final in just 30 seasons, the Lightning’s quest for a fourth banner is fueled by a roster stacked with all-time greats.
Steven Stamkos, widely regarded as the greatest Lightning player ever, ended his remarkable 16-year run in Tampa Bay by signing with the Nashville Predators in the 2024 offseason. Stamkos leaves behind a legacy of 555 goals and the most points in franchise history, having come back from injuries to deliver clutch performances in the 2020 and 2021 playoffs. According to ClutchPoints, "Stamkos came back from injury to score a huge goal in the 2020 Cup Final and came back to score eight goals in the 2021 playoffs." His departure marks the end of an era, but the Lightning are far from depleted.
Nikita Kucherov, the offensive engine of the team, continues to dazzle. Kucherov led the league with 100 assists and 144 points in 2023-24, then followed up with another league-leading 84 assists and 121 points in 2024-25. He’s a six-time All-Star, the 2019 Hart Trophy winner, and a three-time Art Ross Trophy recipient. With Kucherov still in his prime, the Lightning’s attack remains potent as ever.
Anchoring the team in net is Andrei Vasilevskiy, who boasts 67 playoff wins, including 48 during the Lightning’s three consecutive trips to the Cup Final. Vasilevskiy won the Conn Smythe Trophy as Playoff MVP in 2021 and remains one of the league’s elite goaltenders at age 31. His consistency and big-game pedigree make him the backbone of Tampa’s championship aspirations.
The Lightning’s supporting cast is equally impressive. Hall of Famer Martin St. Louis, the franchise’s first Hart Trophy winner and current Montreal Canadiens head coach, helped deliver the 2004 championship. Victor Hedman, a Norris Trophy winner and seven-time All-Star, recently re-signed for four more years, overtaking Stamkos for the most games played in franchise history. Brayden Point, fresh off seasons of 51, 46, and 42 goals, continues to be an offensive force, while veterans like Vincent Lecavalier, Brad Richards, Alex Killorn, and Ben Bishop have all left indelible marks on the franchise’s storied past.
Shifting focus to the Western Conference, the Vegas Golden Knights are entering the 2025-26 season with a roster that’s raising some eyebrows around the league. For the past ten years, every Stanley Cup champion has had two or fewer forwards over the age of 32. The Golden Knights, however, are set to buck that trend with six forwards aged 32 or older: Reilly Smith (34), William Karlsson (33), Brandon Saad (33), Mark Stone (33), Tomas Hertl (32), and Colton Sissons (32). Four of these veterans already own Stanley Cup rings, and the team’s average forward age on opening night will be 30.3 years old.
It’s a notable shift from their 2023 championship team, which had just two forwards over 32 on the roster—Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Marchessault (32) and Phil Kessel (37), who played only four playoff games. Back then, the average age of the forward group was a spry 25.5. Despite concerns about aging legs, the Golden Knights remain one of the deepest and most talented squads in the West. Their experience could prove invaluable in the grind of the playoffs, even as history suggests a younger core is the recipe for Cup success.
Elsewhere in the conference, contenders like the Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars, Los Angeles Kings, and Winnipeg Jets each have four forwards 32 or older, while Minnesota and Nashville have five. Some bubble teams, including St. Louis, Utah, and Vancouver, are steering clear of the 32-and-older trend, perhaps hoping that youth will serve them well in a league that’s only getting faster.
As the NHL’s 2025-26 season gets underway, the league finds itself at a fascinating crossroads. The Flyers, Lightning, and Golden Knights each represent different eras and philosophies—honoring the past, building on dynastic legacies, and challenging the norms of roster construction. Whether it’s the memory of Bernie Parent inspiring a new generation in Philadelphia, the relentless drive of Tampa Bay’s stars, or Vegas’s bid to defy history with a veteran-laden lineup, one thing’s for certain: there’s no shortage of compelling storylines as the puck drops on another season.
With the action just beginning and so many questions yet to be answered, fans across the league are in for a wild ride. The echoes of legends like Bernie Parent still resonate, even as new heroes and rivalries emerge. The journey toward the Stanley Cup is underway, and if history has taught us anything, it’s that anything can happen on hockey’s biggest stage.
