Barry Melrose, the former player and coach who led the Los Angeles Kings to the 1993 Stanley Cup Final before becoming one of hockey’s most recognizable voices in broadcasting, has died. He was 70.
ESPN announced Melrose’s death Wednesday after his wife notified Steve Lacy, a former ESPN colleague. Melrose was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2023, prompting his retirement from the network. He joined ESPN in 1996 and spent nearly three decades with the network.
“For decades, Barry Melrose was one of the most distinctive and trusted voices in hockey,” the network 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.”
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“We send our deepest condolences to his loved ones. He always kept it interesting and he will be missed.”
Melrose stepped away from sports broadcasting in 2008 for a brief return to coaching, serving as head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning for 16 games. Melrose compiled an 84-108-29 record as an NHL head coach.
Melrose had a relatable everyman’s broadcasting style, bringing a sense of humor to his insights, and was easily recognized by his goatee and slicked-backed hair.
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“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,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. “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.”
“Barry was my best friend at ESPN,” John Buccigross, a longtime colleague of Melrose’s at the network, wrote on social media Wednesday.
“A big brother figure of rock solid values. I am shook 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.”
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From rural Kelvington, Saskatchewan, Melrose began his professional hockey career with the Cincinnati Stingers of the now-defunct World Hockey Association in 1976. He played three seasons in Cincinnati, the final one alongside a young Mark Messier, before making the jump to the NHL with Winnipeg in 1979 after the WHA folded.
Melrose went on to play for Toronto and Detroit, where he closed his career following the 1985-86 season.
He finished with 10 goals and 33 points and 728 penalty minutes in 300 career NHL regular-season games, and he skated in seven more in the playoffs. His WHA totals were five goals and 32 points and 343 penalty minutes in 178 games with Cincinnati.
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Melrose is survived by his wife, Cindy, and their two children.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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