How BU’s Jack Parker made the Hockey Hall of Fame

The unfamiliar quantity on his telephone didn’t catch Jack Parker fully off guard.

The legendary coach knew the Hockey Corridor of Fame was set to announce the Class of 2025 that afternoon, having seen the Boston media speculating that former Bruins captains Zdeno Chara and Joe Thornton have been positive to be part of that group of their first yr of eligibility.

So when Parker answered the decision, he figured possibly he was getting phrase that certainly one of his prized pupils, maybe Keith Tkachuk, made the record. Or possibly somebody was calling to do a narrative on the teaching employees of the New York Rangers, with coach Mike Sullivan and assistants David Quinn and Joe Sacco having performed below Parker at Boston College.

But it surely turned out Hockey Corridor of Fame chairman Lanny McDonald was calling to ship some good, and to Parker at the very least, surprising information: He had half-hour to inform his associates to tune in to NHL Community, the place he would be announced as part of the newest class to be inducted Nov. 10 in Toronto.

“I had no inclination,” mentioned Parker. “I used to be flabbergasted.”

The information could have come as a shock to Parker, who amassed 897 wins and three nationwide championships in 40 seasons behind the bench at BU earlier than retiring in 2013. However for Bernie Corbett, the longtime play-by-play voice of the Terriers, it was something however, and it marked the end result of a marketing campaign he launched in the summertime of 2024.

Corbett, whose friendship with Parker dates to his time because the hockey staff’s scholar supervisor earlier than graduating from BU in 1983, had turn into more and more perplexed lately when Parker was not included among the many honorees.

The induction of Jerry York, Parker’s longtime counterpart at Boston Faculty, within the Builders class in 2019 was omen. York, whose 1,123 wins are essentially the most amongst school coaches, grew to become simply the fifth NCAA coach to be inducted and the one one who by no means labored within the NHL.

In his acceptance speech, York cited a few of his worthy contemporaries in former Michigan coach Pink Berenson and former Michigan State coach Ron Mason, earlier than punctuating it with a nod to Parker.

But 5 years later, York was nonetheless the lone college-only coach within the Corridor, prompting Corbett to take motion.

Corbett drew inspiration from Dick Bresciani, the late Pink Sox publicist who compiled a compelling statistical case for Jim Rice that helped get the outfielder into the Baseball Hall of Fame in his ultimate yr on the poll in 2009.

“That’s a narrative I all the time had in my very own very disturbed thoughts,” mentioned Corbett, who additionally serves as host of the “Video games Individuals Play” podcast with producer Andrew Bernstein. “Individuals mentioned that Bresciani championed the reason for Jim Rice to the Corridor of Fame. He made the case, put it collectively, researched it, and that resonated with me.”

Corbett determined to search out out what the committee appears to be like for in figuring out whether or not somebody is worthy of admission. One outstanding member of the committee informed Corbett to start out making the case, which might transcend wins and losses.

There was additionally a global part: What number of of his gamers represented the nation within the Olympics or World Championships? What number of have been drafted, and what number of went on to play within the NHL? And there was the teaching tree: Who went on to work within the NHL when their taking part in careers have been over?

“I knew my mission at that time,” mentioned Corbett. “I’ve bought to be as thorough as attainable, analysis this totally and attempt to embody all the important thing factors, so I get all the data collectively.”

The outcomes? Parker coached 73 gamers who went on to play at the very least one sport within the NHL, and 143 NHL draft picks. They appeared in a complete of 23,470 video games, scoring 4,179 objectives and 6,408 assists for 10,587 factors.

Parker coached 28 Olympians who mixed for 36 appearances, maybe most notably the quartet of Mike Eruzione, Jim Craig, Dave Silk, and Jack O’Callahan that captured gold with the 1980 Miracle on Ice squad. 4 of his gamers ― Tony Amonte, Shawn McEachern, Tkachuk, and Scott Younger ― skated for the US squad that captured gold within the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. There have been additionally 52 gamers who competed in World Juniors, for which Parker served as head coach in 1996.

And as for that teaching tree? Eight former gamers have held teaching positions within the professional ranks outdoors of the NHL, together with the AHL, ECHL, BCHL, and WHL. There have been 22 within the school ranks, and 23 within the NHL on teaching staffs or in entrance places of work. And an extra 17 have labored in highschool or prep hockey.

Corbett submitted his findings to 2 members on the committee who had agreed to work with him as he made his case. Each have been impressed and supplied recommendation as to how greatest current the data.

“They mentioned, ‘Don’t have a video, the place you’ve bought like 30 folks speaking about how fantastic he’s,’ ” mentioned Corbett. “I suppose it simply turns into redundant to gather 25 speaking heads to say you’re the best factor since Mom Teresa.”

Nonetheless, Corbett wished to offer some visible support, and he turned to Matt Dresens, whom he had labored with when Dresens served as a producer for his “Hockey on Campus” podcasts for the 2018-19 season whereas he was a scholar at BU. Dresens was capable of put his graphic design expertise to make use of, producing a compelling package deal displaying all the statistics Corbett had compiled.

Corbett already had in contrast Parker’s résumé with York’s, together with the truth that that they had the identical variety of appearances within the NCAA Event (24) and Frozen 4 (13). However one of many members wished Corbett to make one other comp, and it will require some vital legwork.

Corbett’s project was to search for the profession of Brian Kilrea, who coached the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League for 32 seasons and was inducted into the Corridor’s Builders class in 2003, to see what number of of his gamers went on to skate in at the very least 50 video games within the NHL, and distinction these numbers to Parker. First, Corbett went again by means of the record of 73 gamers who performed for Parker, and located 44 appeared in at the very least 50 video games.

“It’s too unhealthy we couldn’t get David Van der Gulik to play another sport,” joked Corbett. (Van der Gulik, who performed 4 seasons with the Terriers and was the captain of the 2006 squad, went on to look in 49 video games for the Flames, Avalanche, and Kings.)

Corbett reached out to the 67’s and requested for an inventory of all of the gamers coached by Kilrea who went on to the NHL. They complied, and the quantity was 54. They didn’t, nonetheless, embody what number of video games every performed. So it was as much as Corbett, driving shotgun as he and a buddy have been driving from Boston to Saratoga, N.Y., to search for all 54 gamers and see what number of reached 50 video games. The ultimate tally? Additionally 44.

With that analysis accomplished, these on the committee who would foyer on Parker’s behalf felt that they had all of the ammunition they would want. Now all Corbett needed to do was wait.

The announcement was at 3 p.m. on June 24. Corbett bought a name from one of many committee members at 12:30 p.m. They wanted contact data for Parker.

“I used to be so blissful and relieved,” mentioned Corbett. “Jack’s 80, and that is the time for it.”

Corbett was not the one one taking his age into consideration. Parker was about to hop on a ship with a buddy to go crusing when he bought the decision.

“This buddy is aware of nothing about sports activities, and I imply nothing,” mentioned Parker. “So I bought the decision, and I mentioned, ‘We’ve bought to show round. I’ve to get again to the home. I’ve bought to get on a convention name in about half an hour. I do know you don’t know something about sports activities, however it is a fairly massive deal.’

“He mentioned, ‘Oh congratulations. When’s the induction?’ I mentioned, ‘November.’ He mentioned, ‘November? Have they got any concept how previous you’re?’ ”

Upon returning residence, Parker shared the information along with his spouse, Jacqueline. His ideas turned to his twin brother Bob, who died in April 2024, and the way Parker wished he may give him a name. He then reached out to his former assistants earlier than the information was introduced.

“It’s wonderful how rapidly phrase travels,” mentioned Parker. “I get residence, and impulsively persons are texting me. I bought an entire bunch of texts from former gamers congratulating me.”

When the choice present aired, it listed the names on the 18-member committee, giving Parker some perception as to who may need lobbied on his behalf.

Amongst these on the record have been Pierre McGuire and Brian Burke, each of whom he is aware of and have deep school hockey roots. Corridor of Famers Harry Sinden, who as basic supervisor of the Bruins twice tried to lure Parker to the NHL, and Lou Lamoriello, who coached in opposition to Parker at Windfall Faculty and served as the primary commissioner of Hockey East, weren’t on the committee, however had pushed for Parker’s inclusion prior to now.

Later that day, Parker linked with Corbett, who was blissful to lastly reveal what he had been as much as for the final yr. Over the course of their friendship, Parker has teased Corbett in regards to the limitless info and figures he all the time appears to have at his disposal.

“He would inform me, ‘Bernie, you’ve bought approach an excessive amount of data,’ ” mentioned Corbett. “I believe this time it really paid off.”