Why coach Jack Parker has earned Hockey Hall of Fame moment

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Postmedia continues its annual profiles of the new Hockey Hall of Fame class as the Nov. 10 induction night approaches, with Jack Parker in the builder category.

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EXPLANATION OF THE CALL TO THE HALL

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Six players and two builders were nominated this year, each receiving 75% of the vote or higher from the 18-member selection committee in a secret ballot. A maximum of six players (four men and two women) and two builders can be selected, unless someone is named from the referee/lines category.

WHY JACK

For nearly half a century, Parker's influence spread from the Boston University Terriers through the US national program and the National Hockey League. His three NCAA titles in 13 Frozen Four tournament appearances were part of his 897 wins, the most by a single American school. Retiring in 2013, Parker boasted an alumni that included 24 Olympians, led by four players from the 1980 Miracle on Ice team – Mike Eruzione, Dave Silk, Jack O'Callaghan and Jim Craig. Parker is a five-time NCAA Coach of the Year and a member of USA Hockey.

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IN YOUR OWN WORDS

On the day his induction was announced, Parker thought about the plaque hanging in the BU coach's office.

“Children don't care how much you know until they understand how much you care,” Parker, 80, recited.

“I hope so (and I think from the kids' reactions after their training) that we had a great relationship then and an even better relationship after they graduated and moved on to bigger and better things.

“It was a lot of fun, but it was because we were winning a lot and I had assistant coaches who found good players.”

Parker always wanted it to be about them, and never thought Hall would spend much time exploring why so many BU players populate the hockey world. When he started working as an assistant in 1972, he joked that staying in one place for so long could feel like a dead-end job.

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“You can’t become a coach if you don’t win,” Parker said. “All these years I have been surrounded by wonderful people.

“When (Hall President Lanny McDonald) called me, I thought he wanted to talk to me about someone else.”

Eruzione took the news very differently.

“My first reaction was, 'Why did it take so long?'” This was reported by Eruption on nhl.com..

The Wondermen captain played under Parker for four years at BU in the mid-1970s. Parker was offered the chance to coach the 1980 Olympic team but turned it down, opening the door to a grateful Herb Brooks.

“I’m thrilled for him, he deserves it,” Eruzione added of the Parkers Hall honor. “When you look at the people in the room, Jack belongs to all of them.

“He cared about you off the ice, about your future, about your family.”

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Parker's NHL students include Keith Tkachuk, Tony Amonte, Chris Drury, Sean McEachern, Ryan Whitney, Rick DiPietro and John Cullen.

Terriers who became current NHL coaches and executives make up another impressive list: John Hynes, David Quinn, Mike Grier, Mike Sullivan and Drury.

When Parker watches Team USA at the 2026 Olympics in Italy, he will see three former players behind the bench – head coach Sullivan and assistants Quinn and Hines.

When the Boston Bruins were changing coaches in the 1990s, club president Harry Sinden double-checked his backyard to see if the Medford, Massachusetts, resident was interested. Parker admitted that it was very difficult for him to say no, but Sinden suspected that Parker would never trade BU and the strong connections with his players for the rigors of professional life when he had to cut or trade a guy.

“It was one of the most wonderful parts of the job,” Parker agreed. “The relationships you have with players while they're playing for you, and the relationships when they're done, and years later.”

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