Barry Melrose, the former NHL defenseman and coach who spent decades as one of hockey’s most recognizable television voices, has died at 70. His wife, Cindy, shared the news with longtime ESPN colleague Steve Levy on Wednesday.
Melrose had been living with Parkinson’s disease since his 2023 diagnosis, which led him to step away from ESPN after nearly three decades on air.
He first joined the network in 1996 and quickly became known for his flashy suits, his mullet, and a blunt, entertaining style that made him a fan favorite well beyond hardcore hockey circles.
A Career That Started on the Ice
Before he ever sat behind a broadcast desk, Melrose built a long career in the sport. Born in the small town of Kelvington, Saskatchewan, he played eleven professional seasons, including three years in the WHA and time in the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings between 1979 and 1986. He also spent three seasons skating alongside a young Mark Messier in Cincinnati.
Melrose moved into coaching soon after, leading the Medicine Hat Tigers to a WHL championship and later guiding the Adirondack Red Wings to a Calder Cup title.
His biggest moment on the bench came with the Los Angeles Kings, where he coached a Wayne Gretzky led roster to the 1993 Stanley Cup Final, the franchise’s only Cup Final appearance at the time. He briefly returned to coaching in 2008 for a short stint with the Tampa Bay Lightning, finishing his NHL coaching career with an overall record of 84 wins, 108 losses and 29 ties.
A Broadcasting Legacy
It was in the television studio where Melrose truly left his mark. Alongside Levy and John Buccigross, he became a fixture of ESPN’s hockey coverage, appearing at All Star Games, playoff runs and Stanley Cup Finals for more than 25 years. B
Buccigross wrote on social media that Melrose was his best friend at the network, calling him a big brother figure with rock solid values.
Tributes poured in from across the hockey world following news of his death. Gretzky once described Melrose as the conductor of hockey’s finely tuned orchestra.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman remembered him as a hockey original, pointing to his distinctive style both at the rink and on screen. Former King Rob Blake, now a Hockey Hall of Famer, recalled Melrose as a terrific presence who brought the same passion to coaching that he later brought to television.
Melrose is survived by his wife, Cindy, and their two sons, Tyrell and Adrien. He leaves behind a legacy that spans generations of hockey fans, from those who watched him behind the Kings bench in the early 1990s to viewers who grew up hearing his analysis on SportsCenter and NHL broadcasts for over two decades.
His death was confirmed by multiple outlets, including ESPN and the New York Post, on Wednesday evening.
