While ESPN is excited about the start of the 2026-27 NHL season, the network will operate with a heavy heart for its Opening Night tripleheader.
Earlier this month, ESPN lost longtime analyst Barry Melrose after a battle with Parkinson’s disease. Although younger hockey fans know him for his work as a broadcaster, the highlight of his career was leading the Wayne Gretzky-led Los Angeles Kings to the Stanley Cup Final in 1993.
Melrose, who had an 84-108-29 record as a head coach, worked at ESPN from 1996-2023. He was beloved for his flashy suits, iconic mullet and sharp analysis.
“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. He was a foundational part of ESPN’s hockey coverage, and fans and teammates truly appreciated his entertaining delivery and charismatic personality,” ESPN said in a statement. “We send our deepest condolences to his loved ones. He always kept it interesting and he will be missed.”
In honor of this year’s NHL Opening Night, ESPN paid tribute to Melrose with a beautiful video.
Melrose is a true legend in the hockey community.
Melrose spent a good portion of his ESPN tenure working with Steve Levy and John Buccigross. They both released heartfelt messages online after Melrose passed away.
“Barry was my best friend at ESPN,” Buccigross wrote on social media. “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.”
Levy, meanwhile, had this to say about Melrose’s legacy: “For more than 30 years Barry was the unquestioned face/voice of hockey in the United States. He was a man of the people, a family man, a part of my family. Tonight I’ll toast to the kid from Kelvington who made it big but never forgot his roots. Now he can drink all the Bud Lights, smoke all the cigars and play all the rounds of golf he wants to. Barry Melrose was the best of us.”
There’s no question hockey fans will remember Melrose for years to come.
