Who was Barry Melrose? Former NHL player, coach and Emmy-winning broadcaster dead at 70 - Check cause of death

Barry Melrose, the former NHL player, coach and longtime ESPN hockey analyst, has died at 70 on Wednesday, confirmed NHL. Melrose played more than 300 NHL games before coaching the Los Angeles Kings to the 1993 Stanley Cup Final. He later became one of ESPN’s most recognizable hockey broadcasters and won an Emmy Award. Melrose retired from ESPN in 2023 after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. While Parkinson’s was the major health condition publicly associated with his final years, a specific cause of death has not been publicly confirmed as per multiple media reports.

Melrose built a long and varied career in professional hockey, first as a defenseman and later as a coach who reached the sport’s biggest stage. Born July 15, 1956, in Kelvington, Melrose entered the NHL after the Montreal Canadiens selected him 36th overall in the second round of the 1976 NHL Draft. Before reaching the NHL, he spent three seasons with Cincinnati in the World Hockey Association from 1976 to 1979.

"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."

Melrose made his NHL debut with the Winnipeg Jets in 1979. He recorded an assist in the Jets’ 4-2 defeat to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Over the next several seasons, he also played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings. His NHL playing career ended in 1986 after 300 games. Melrose recorded 10 goals and 33 points while accumulating 728 penalty minutes. Across 178 WHA games, he finished with five goals, 32 points and 343 penalty minutes.

Melrose quickly transitioned into coaching. He began with the Medicine Hat Tigers during the 1987-88 season and guided the team to a WHL Memorial Cup championship. He later spent one season with the Seattle Thunderbirds before taking charge of the Adirondack Red Wings. With Adirondack, Melrose added another major achievement by leading the team to a Calder Cup championship during the 1991-92 season.

His coaching career reached its highest-profile point with the Los Angeles Kings. Melrose coached the team for three seasons and reached the Stanley Cup Final in 1993, doing so during his first season in charge. The Kings were led by superstar Wayne Gretzky during that memorable run.

Melrose later joined ESPN and became a familiar face to hockey fans. He briefly left the network in 2008 to coach the Tampa Bay Lightning, but his tenure lasted only 16 games before he was dismissed. He subsequently returned to ESPN, where he continued his successful broadcasting career.