ESPN
Barry Melrose has passed away at the age of 70 years old
Barry Melrose, one of the most recognizable voices in hockey broadcasting for nearly three decades, has died. Melrose was 70 years old.
Melrose, a former NHL coach and ESPN analyst, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2023 and retired from ESPN shortly after.
Barry Melrose, beloved ESPN hockey analyst and former NHL coach, has died at 70 following a Parkinson’s diagnosis he received in 2023
ESPN, which announced the news of Melrose’s passing, called him “a foundational part” of the network’s hockey coverage whose “knowledge of the game was deep, his candor was refreshing, and his passion was unmistakable.”
“For decades, Barry Melrose was one of the most distinctive and trusted voices in hockey. His knowledge of the game was deep, his candor was refreshing, and his passion was unmistakable,” ESPN’s tribute read.
“He was a foundational part of ESPN’s hockey coverage, whom he hosted and fans and teammates truly appreciated his entertaining delivery and charismatic personality. We send our deepest condolences to his loved ones. He always kept it interesting and he will be missed.”
His longtime ESPN colleague John Buccigross, whom he co-hosted NHL 2Night with from 1995 to 2004 and frequently appeared alongside on SportsCenter, said he learned of Melrose’s passing while at a hockey rink in Las Vegas preparing for the upcoming NHL season.
Buccigross described Melrose as “my best friend at ESPN” and “a big brother figure of rock solid values.”
“Barry was my best friend at ESPN. 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,” Buccigross wrote on social media.
Barry was my best friend at ESPN. 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 theBarry was my best friend at ESPN. 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.
upcoming season.… pic.twitter.com/x1zV1b4z87— BucciOT.Com (@Buccigross) September 10, 2026
As a player, Melrose spent 11 seasons as a defenseman in the NHL and WHA with the Cincinnati Stingers, Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Detroit Red Wings. He spent four seasons in the NHL as a coach: three with the Los Angeles Kings from 1992 to 1995 (taking them to the Stanley Cup Finals in his first season with an aging Wayne Gretzky), and a brief stint with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2008.
After joining ESPN as a studio analyst in 1996, he became one of the network’s most beloved figures at the network over the next 27 years.
Our thoughts are with Melrose’s friends, family, and loved ones during this difficult time.