Hockey legend Barry Melrose dies at 70

Legendary hockey figure Barry Melrose has died at the age of 70.

Melrose died on Wednesday following a battle with Parkinson’s disease. Melrose’s wife Cindy confirmed the news of the hockey icon’s death to ESPN.

A former defenceman, Melrose played in the NHL for six total seasons from 1979-1986. Melrose would later rise to prominence thanks to his career as an NHL coach.

Melrose coached the Los Angeles Kings during the Wayne Gretzky era and led them to the Stanley Cup Final in 1993. After being let go by the Kings in 1995, Melrose went into broadcasting, where his best career work would ultimately take place.

ESPN hired Melrose in 1995, and he became a staple of the network’s hockey coverage. Melrose served as both a studio analyst for The Worldwide Leader (working premier events like the NHL All-Star Game and the Stanley Cup Final alongside John Buccigross and Steve Levy) as well as an occasional color commentator for game broadcasts. He briefly left ESPN in 2008 for a short-lived stint as head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning but would later return to the network months later.

Melrose, who also made regular appearances on “SportsCenter” and other TV programs, ultimately retired from ESPN in 2023 after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He received a touching tribute at the time of his retirement from his longtime colleague Buccigross.