Barry Melrose, a former NHL player and coach who became an Emmy Award-winning hockey analyst with ESPN, has passed away.

He was 70.

Melrose retired from ESPN in 2023 after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

His career at the company spanned over 25 years.

“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,” he said upon his retirement.

ESPN shared further:

Melrose served as coach of the Wayne Gretzky-led Los Angeles Kings, taking them to the Stanley Cup Final in the first of his three seasons (1992-95). He stepped away briefly from ESPN in 2008 to return to the bench, coaching the Tampa Bay Lightning for 16 games.

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Overall, he had an 84-108-29 record as a head coach.

At ESPN, millions watched him as a studio analyst, and within the company’s walls, he was lauded as the consummate teammate.

He was known for his witty personality, flashy suits and recognizable goatee, slicked-back hair and mullet, which endeared him to hockey fans worldwide. He regularly worked alongside Levy and John Buccigross on ESPN’s hockey coverage, including All-Star Games, Stanley Cup playoffs and the Cup Final.

“Barry was my best friend at ESPN,” Buccigross wrote on social media Wednesday night. “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.”

“For decades, Barry Melrose was one of the most distinctive and trusted voices in hockey,” ESPN 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,” the statement continued.

“We send our deepest condolences to his loved ones. He always kept it interesting and he will be missed,” it added.

Melrose joined the network in 1996.

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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.

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“A rangy and rugged defenseman from Kelvington, Saskatchewan, Barry fashioned an 11-year pro career in the NHL, AHL and WHA. But it was as a coach, who guided the Los Angeles Kings to the 1993 Stanley Cup Final, and as a broadcaster, who spent 27 years at ESPN, that he truly made his mark upon the game. And during those countless encounters over the years with players, coaches, fans and viewers who couldn’t help but be drawn in by his enthusiasm.

“We mourn the passing of a hockey original. And we send our deepest condolences to his wife, Cindy, their sons, Tyrell and Adrien, and all of his teammates, colleagues and admirers around the hockey world.”

Known for his sense of humor as well as the mullet and fancy suits, Melrose became a star on ESPN, endearing himself to hockey fans everywhere.

“He’s bigger than any team,” Gretzky said in a video the day Melrose announced his Parkinson’s diagnosis. “For decades, he’s been suiting up — and I mean suiting up — for the game, for the sport, for hockey. … You see, hockey is more than a game, it’s a community — a finely tuned orchestra — and Barry was our conductor.”

Working regularly with Steve Levy and John Buccigross on ESPN, Melrose covered All-Star Games, the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the Stanley Cup Final.

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