Former NHL Defenseman, Coach, Broadcaster Barry Melrose Dies at 70

Barry Melrose, a former NHL defenseman, coach, and broadcaster, has passed away at the age of 70, ESPN reported. Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2023, Melrose retired from broadcasting that year. Born on July 15, 1956, in Kelvington, Saskatchewan, he was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the 1976 NHL Draft.

After playing three seasons with the Cincinnati Stingers of the WHA, Melrose made his NHL debut with the Winnipeg Jets in 1979. He went on to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings, amassing 10 goals and 33 points in 300 NHL games and 5 goals and 32 points in 178 WHA games. Melrose's transition to coaching came quickly, winning the Memorial Cup in his first season as a coach with the Medicine Hat Tigers in 1987.

He then coached the Seattle Thunderbirds and Adirondack Red Wings, leading Adirondack to the 1992 Calder Cup championship. Melrose joined the Los Angeles Kings as a coach in the 1992-93 season, helping the team reach the Stanley Cup Final his first season. He spent two more seasons with the Kings before departing. From 1996 to 2008, Melrose was a prominent figure at ESPN, serving as a studio and game analyst, renowned for his hockey expertise, humor, distinctive mullet, and flamboyant suits.