Parker Elected to Hockey Hall of Fame
June 24, 2025 | Men's Ice Hockey
Parker, who will be inducted in the Builders Category, is the first Terrier to earn this honor. Candidates had to receive at least 75 percent of the vote from the selection committee to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. A maximum of four retired male players, two retired female players, two builders or one builder and one retired official may be inducted in a single year.
A 1968 graduate of BU, Parker amassed 897 wins during his 40 years (1973-2013) at the helm of the program, which is the most of any Division I head coach at a single school. He won three NCAA titles (1978, 1995, 2009), 22 conference titles and a record 21 Beanpots, which is more than any other school has won during the tournament's 72-year history. Parker also won the Beanpot championship all three years as a player at BU and was a member of the inaugural Beanpot Hall of Fame class in 1995.
"On behalf of our entire athletic department, I want to congratulate Jack on this much-deserved and long-overdue call to the Hockey Hall of Fame," director of athletics Drew Marrochello said. "Jack Parker is the first name that comes to mind when you think about Boston University Hockey and the rich history associated with the program. Jack's resumé is obviously impressive, but his lasting legacy will be how many lives he impacted in a positive manner, both on and off the ice. We're so incredibly proud of Jack for this capstone honor."
Seventy-three of Parker's former players went on to skate in the National Hockey League, including 44 who played at least 50 games at the highest level. Many more went on to coaching and executive roles in professional hockey, with two of his former players, Mike Sullivan (New York Rangers) and John Hynes (Minnesota Wild) currently serving as NHL head coaches. Parker coached 29 Olympians, including Mike Eruzione, Dave Silk, Jack O'Callahan and Jim Craig, who were key members of the 1980 'Miracle on Ice' Team that won the gold medal in Lake Placid, New York.
"This is a great day not only for Coach Parker but for our entire program," head coach Jay Pandolfo said. "He has been an important part of my life, both as a player here and now as a coach, and I know I wouldn't be where I am today without his guidance and mentorship. He cares so much about all the players he's coached during his time at BU and has created an outstanding culture that we still have today. His impact went beyond BU, which is seen in how many of his student-athletes went on to successful careers in professional hockey as players, coaches and front office personnel, and this honor truly represents everything he's given to the game of hockey."
Parker has been associated with the BU hockey program ever since 1963, when he arrived on campus as a freshman. The Somerville native and Catholic Memorial High School standout was a sparkplug at center for the 1966-68 Terrier varsity teams that combined for a 72-22-4 record and he served as team captain his senior year.
He began his coaching career right out of college at Medford High School. After one year, he returned to his alma mater to serve as an assistant under his former mentor, Jack Kelley. He worked in that capacity for three years, helping the Terriers claim their first two national titles, before being elevated to the program's B-team post in the fall of 1972.
On Dec. 21, 1973, Parker was named the 10th coach in Terrier hockey history, replacing Leon Abbott six games into the season. Six days later, in his first game as a head coach, he recorded his first win in a 3-1 decision over Dartmouth. In his inaugural season, he led the Terriers to their first of four consecutive ECAC crowns.
His first of three Spencer Penrose Awards as the NCAA Division I Men's Hockey Coach of the Year came in 1975, when he guided his first team to a 26-5-1 mark, the best major college record in the nation. He also earned the award after guiding the 1977-78 team to a 30-2 record and the NCAA title, as well in 2009 when he led the Terriers to the NCAA championship and a 35-6-4 record durin. He is a seven-time New England Coach of the Year and was tabbed the Hockey East Coach of the Year on five occasions.
Parker was inducted in the Boston University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994 after receiving the school's Distinguished Alum Award two years prior. He also was presented an Honorary Doctors of Letters degree by BU in 1997. He is also a member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame (2017) and The Sports Museum's Tradition (2009), and was named a recipient of the NHL's Lester Patrick Award (2010).
