Long-time NHL analyst Barry Melrose has passed away at 70 years of age. If you grew up in the 90’s or 00’s, Melrose and John Buccigross were welcome sights on ESPN’s NHL broadcasts and the “NHL 2Night,” the highlight show that was a lifeline for hockey fans across the United States.
Barry Melrose, the former NHL player and coach who was a beloved, longtime hockey analyst for ESPN, died Wednesday, his wife, Cindy, told ESPN's Steve Levy. He was 70. https://t.co/68PGbK6rkI
— ESPN (@espn) September 10, 2026
We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Barry Melrose.
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 10, 2026
Barry played parts of two seasons with Detroit and was a Calder Cup-winning coach with the Adirondack Red Wings. He would go on to have an immeasurable impact on the entire hockey world as a beloved TV analyst.… https://t.co/Y4mRateHsM pic.twitter.com/coL0jAkH1b
As Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff notes, Melrose once played for the Red Wings, and coached the Wings’ AHL team at the time, the Adirondack Red Wings, to a Calder Cup win in 1992…
To a generation of hockey fans, Melrose was the voice of the game, the American version of Don Cherry on ESPN’s NHL broadcasts. But to a previous generation of hockey fans, Melrose was a journeyman NHL defenseman with the Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs, and finally, the Red Wings.
Melrose, who died Wednesday at the age of 70, closed out his NHL career playing 35 games for Detroit from 1983-86. The Wings signed him as a UFA in the summer of 1983. He played his last NHL game for the Red Wings on February 1, 1986.
Melrose also played four seasons for the Adirondack Red Wings, Detroit’s AHL farm club at the time. He completed his pro hockey career with that club in 1986-87.
He actually turned pro in the old WHA, playing three seasons for the Cincinnati Stingers.
As a player, Melrose was known more for his muscle than his mobility.
“Barry is a hard-nosed competitive player who likes to move bodies in front of the net,” Red Wings GM Jim Devellano said after signing Melrose. “He’ll add some toughness to our team.”
Duff continues, and MLive’s Ansar Khan notes that the Red Wings considered Melrose for their head coaching job before he left the organization to join the Los Angeles Kings, where he coached the team for three seasons…
He played in parts of four seasons with Detroit’s former AHL affiliate, Adirondack, and later coached that team for three years, culminating with a Calder Cup championship in 1992.
Late Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch contemplated hiring Melrose as the NHL club’s coach in 1992, but he took a position with the Los Angeles Kings and guided that team to the Stanley Cup Final in his first season, where it lost to the Montreal Canadiens.
Melrose had a short stint as head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2008-09, going 5-7-4.
Melrose played in 300 NHL games with Winnipeg, Toronto and Detroit, picking up 10 goals, 23 assists and 728 penalty minutes.
