Barry Melrose, a former NHL defenseman and coach who became a well-known hockey analyst for ESPN, died Wednesday at age 70. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed his death.
Melrose was known for his distinctive style, including a mullet and flamboyant suit coats. Bettman stated, “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… he never failed to boost your love of the game of hockey.”
He revealed in October 2023 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and was retiring. At that time, he said, “I’ve had over 50 extraordinary years playing, coaching and analyzing the world’s greatest game, hockey. It’s now time to hang up my skates and focus on my health, my family, including my supportive wife, Cindy, and whatever comes next.”
Melrose coached the Los Angeles Kings, leading them to the brink of the Stanley Cup in 1993. He was fired in April 1995 and almost immediately signed with ESPN as a studio analyst for the NHL playoffs, eventually becoming a full-time analyst in 1996. He aimed to be relatable on television, stating in 1995, “When [people] watch me on TV, I want them to go, ‘Geez, I’d like to go for a beer with Barry Melrose and talk hockey. He seems like he’d be very interesting.’”
He briefly returned to coaching with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2008, but was released after 16 games. He rejoined ESPN in 2009, and alongside Steve Levy, reported from every Stanley Cup Final from 1994 until 2022. Levy noted that Melrose’s absence from the 2023 series signaled a possible health issue. Levy said, “For more than 30 years Barry was the unquestioned face/voice of hockey in the United States… 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.”
Barry James Melrose was born on July 15, 1956, in Kelvington, Saskatchewan, a town of 900 people located 400 miles northwest of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and was one of four children.
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