Barry Melrose, beloved hockey player, coach, and ESPN analyst unfortunately passed away this week. His colleagues, loved ones, and long time fans have been sharing their favorite memories of Melrose and remembering all that he gave to the world of hockey.
Former NHL player, coach, and hockey analyst for ESPN for over 25 years, Barry Melrose, has unfortunately passed away this week. His wife, Cindy, told ESPN’s Steve Levy the news, he was 70-years-old.
Melrose initially joined ESPN in 1996, and retired in 2023 following his diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease.
In a statement, ESPN said:
Barry Melrose’s “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.”
Before joining ESPN, Melrose served as coach for the Los Angeles Kings, led by Wayne Gretzky, and took the team to the Stanley Cup Final in the first of his three seasons from 1992 to 1995.
In 2008, he briefly stepped away from his analyst role to return to coaching for the Tampa Bay Lightning for 16 games. Overall, he had an 84-108-29 as a head coach.
“We send our deepest condolences to his loved ones. He always kept it interesting and he will be missed,” the network stated.
“For decades, Barry Melrose was one of the most distinctive and trusted voices in hockey.”
ESPN reflected on how within the walls of the network, Melrose was way more than simply an analyst, but a “consummate teammate.”
Greg Wyshynski of the network wrote that he was well-known for his “witty personality, flashy suits and recognizable goatee, slicked-back hair and mullet, which endeared him to hockey fans worldwide.”
For fans, they know Melrose for working alongside Levy and John Buccigross for hockey coverage and some of the sport’s most watched events, such as the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Cup Final, and All-Star Games.
“Barry was my best friend at ESPN,” Buccigross wrote online.
“A big brother figure of rock solid values. I am shaken to my core. Barry gave his life to hockey and some of his ESPN family, like me, learned of his shocking death today while at a hockey rink in Las Vegas preparing for the upcoming season. Chilling and fitting — the rink was Barry’s home. A more beloved ESPN institution there has not been. We love you, Barry. Forever.”
“For more than 30 years Barry was the unquestioned face/voice of hockey in the United States,” Levy added.
“He was a man of the people, a family man, a part of my family. Tonight I’ll toast to the kid from Kelvington who made it big but never forgot his roots. Now he can drink all the Bud Lights, smoke all the cigars and play all the rounds of golf he wants to. Barry Melrose was the best of us.”
Melrose and Gretzky were the dynamic duo that helped the Kings succeed so much in the early 90s. When Melrose eventually retired, the hockey legend hailed him for his dedication to the sport and team.
“Hockey is more than a game, it’s a community – a finely tuned orchestra – and Barry was our conductor.”
Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman, Rob Blake, who also played for Melrose in the 90s, gave a statement to ESPN regarding his legacy after learning about his death.
“Barry Melrose was just a terrific person to be in charge of our team. A real big personality, and he was a pleasure. He loved the game of hockey. The bright lights in LA were nothing for him when he got there.”
Blake also said that he wasn’t surprised when Melrose initially moved into television after coaching.
“What he was teaching us about the game of hockey, he was teaching on TV. He got to promote the game for a number of years at a very high level. It was great.”
Another former Kings player, Tony Granato, said:
“He could light up a room. He could make people hear his voice, and then you turn around and wonder what else he was going to say? There was no phoniness to him. He just was himself.”
Melrose began his coaching career in 1987 by leading the Medicine Hat Tigers to the WHL’s Memorial Cup title. He then coached the Seattle Thunderbirds for the 1988-89 season and the Adirondack Red Wings of the American Hockey League for three seasons (89-92), winning the Calder Cup championship in 1991.
Melrose himself appeared in 300 NHL games as a defenseman during his 11-year career. He played for the Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Detroit Red Wings. He also played three seasons with Cincinnati in the WHA.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said:
“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.
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.”
Eric Mastrota is a Contributing Editor at The National Digest based in New York. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz, he reports on world news, culture, and lifestyle. You can reach him at eric.mastrota@thenationaldigest.com.
