Former NHL player, coach and iconic ESPN hockey analyst Barry Melrose died on Wednesday, his wife Cindy confirmed to ESPN.
He was 70.
Melrose was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2023. He stepped away from his role at ESPN at the time as a result of his diagnosis, ending a nearly three-decade run at the network where he had become a fixture in the sport while constantly working the biggest events throughout the NHL each season. Melrose was perhaps the most recognizable hockey broadcaster at ESPN, thanks in part to his trademark slicked back hair and goatee.
“For decades, Barry Melrose was one of the most distinctive and trusted voices in hockey,” ESPN said in a statement. “His knowledge of the game was deep, his candor was refreshing and his passion was unmistakable. He was a foundational part of ESPN’s hockey coverage, and fans and teammates truly appreciated his entertaining delivery and charismatic personality.
“We send our deepest condolences to his loved ones. He always kept it interesting and he will be missed.”
Melrose spent seven seasons as a defenseman in the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings, which came after a three-year run with the Cincinnati Stingers in the WHA. He had 10 goals, 33 points and an incredible 728 penalty minutes in his 300 NHL games throughout his career.
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Melrose transitioned into coaching after his playing career ended. He spent three seasons leading the Los Angeles Kings, most notably with Wayne Gretzky during their run to the Stanley Cup Final in 1993. He briefly came out of retirement in 2009 for a 16-game stint with the Tampa Bay Lightning, too. In total, he held an 84-108-29 record as a coach in the league.
Plenty of Melrose’s ESPN colleagues took to social media to remember him on Wednesday night.
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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman released a statement, too.
“From the flowing locks of his distinctive mullet to the flared lapels of his trademark long suit coats, Barry Melrose cut an unmistakable figure whenever you were fortunate enough to run into him at a rink or catch him on your television screen,” Bettman said. You were even more fortunate if you engaged him in conversation or listened to his analysis, because he never failed to boost your love of the game of hockey.
“A rangy and rugged defenseman from Kelvington, Saskatchewan, Barry fashioned an 11-year pro career in the NHL, AHL and WHA. But it was as a coach, who guided the Los Angeles Kings to the 1993 Stanley Cup Final, and as a broadcaster, who spent 27 years at ESPN, that he truly made his mark upon the game. And during those countless encounters over the years with players, coaches, fans and viewers who couldn’t help but be drawn in by his enthusiasm.
“We mourn the passing of a hockey original. And we send our deepest condolences to his wife, Cindy, their sons, Tyrell and Adrien, and all of his teammates, colleagues and admirers around the hockey world.”
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