Sports · Other Sports Updated 7 days ago 3 publishers reporting
Barry Melrose, former NHL player, coach and longtime ESPN analyst, dies at 70
News Brief
Barry Melrose, the former defenseman who played 300 NHL games and later coached the Los Angeles Kings to the 1993 Stanley Cup Final, died at age 70. His death was confirmed by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and his wife Cindy, who notified ESPN. Melrose retired from ESPN in 2023 after revealing a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis. He was known for his distinctive mullet, flamboyant suits and enthusiastic commentary that spanned nearly three decades on the network.
Key points
Melrose played 300 NHL games with the Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings, accumulating 10 goals, 23 assists and 728 penalty minutes.
He coached the Los Angeles Kings to the 1993 Stanley Cup Final in his first season as an NHL head coach.
After a brief stint coaching the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2008, he returned to ESPN and remained a prominent analyst until his 2023 retirement.
Melrose announced a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis shortly before the 2023‑24 NHL season and stepped away from broadcasting to focus on health.
What sources agree on
Barry Melrose died at age 70, confirmed by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and his wife Cindy.
He was a former NHL defenseman who played 300 games for three teams and amassed 728 penalty minutes.
Melrose coached the Los Angeles Kings to the 1993 Stanley Cup Final in his first season as head coach.
He worked as an ESPN hockey analyst for nearly three decades, covering every Stanley Cup Final from 1994 to 2022.
He retired from ESPN in 2023 after disclosing a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis.
Still unclear
No material disagreement was identified in the supplied reports.
Source & attribution
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3 independent reports
01
VarietyNorth America
Original headline
Barry Melrose, Former ESPN Analyst and Hockey Pro, Dies at 70
