Former NHL player and coach Barry Melrose dies at age 70

Barry Melrose, a former NHL defenseman and coach who transitioned into a long-standing role as an ESPN hockey analyst, died at the age of 70. ESPN confirmed the news on Wednesday following notification from his family. Melrose began his media career at the network in 1986 and remained a consistent fixture until his retirement in 2023, which followed a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. Before his broadcast career, he played 335 games in the NHL for the Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Detroit Red Wings. He later transitioned into coaching, most leading the Los Angeles Kings to the Stanley Cup Final during his tenure from 1992 to 1995. He also served a brief stint as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2008.

• 1:27 AMYahoo Sports — ESPN mourns the death of former hockey analyst