| Barry Melrose | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Barry Melrose pictured at the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals | |||
| Born | (1956-07-15)July 15, 1956 (age 69) Kelvington,Saskatchewan, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | Cincinnati Stingers Winnipeg Jets Toronto Maple Leafs Detroit Red Wings | ||
| NHL draft | 36th overall,1976 Montreal Canadiens | ||
| WHA draft | 37th overall,1976 Cincinnati Stingers | ||
| Playing career | 1974–1987 | ||
Barry James Melrose (born July 15, 1956) is a Canadian–American retired broadcaster and former professionalice hockey player and head coach. Melrose played in theWorld Hockey Association (WHA) andNational Hockey League (NHL). After retiring from playing, he became a head coach and is best known for being the coach of theLos Angeles Kings in their run to the1993 Stanley Cup Finals. Until 2023, he was a long-time commentator and hockey analyst forESPN as well as a contributor for theNHL Network.[1]
Melrose began his hockey career as a defenceman in theWCHL with theKamloops Chiefs in 1974, where he stayed for two years. He started the1976–77 season with theSpringfield Indians of theAHL, before moving mid-season to theCincinnati Stingers of theWHA, where he stayed until 1979.
Following the demise of the WHA and the subsequent absorption of some of its teams into theNHL, Melrose joined theWinnipeg Jets for the1979–80 season.[2]
For the remainder of his playing career, Melrose split time between theToronto Maple Leafs and theDetroit Red Wings, as well as their assorted AHL affiliates. Melrose spent his final season playing with theAdirondack Red Wings of the AHL during the1986–87 season.
During his NHL playing career, he played 300 games, scoring 10 goals, with 23 assists and 728 penalty minutes. He also played in 7 playoff games with the Toronto Maple Leafs, assisting on 2 goals and receiving 38 penalty minutes.
Upon retirement, Melrose immediately began coaching. He coached the 1987–88 season with theMedicine Hat Tigers of theWHL, leading them to a 44–22–6 record and aMemorial Cup title.
He coached the next season with theSeattle Thunderbirds before jumping to theAHL and coaching theAdirondack Red Wings. He spent three years with the Red Wings, leading them to aCalder Cup win in the 1991–92 season.
Beginning with the1992–93 season, Melrose coached the NHL'sLos Angeles Kings,[3] leading them to the1993 Stanley Cup Finals, which they lost to theMontreal Canadiens in five games. He continued coaching the Kings for two more seasons, finishing both years out of the playoffs and with losing records.[4] He then spent 13 years as a hockey analyst withESPN.[5] (NHL Tonight/DCI Tonight) On June 4, 2008, Melrose stated onPardon the Interruption that he missed coaching and would entertain any NHL coaching offers. He stated, "I miss not having a dog in the fight."
TheTampa Bay Lightning hired Melrose as their head coach in June 2008.[6] On October 21, 2008, Melrose recorded his first win as a head coach in over 13 years in a 3–2 victory over theAtlanta Thrashers. On November 14, 2008, Melrose was fired by the Lightning with a 5–7–4 record.[7]
Melrose joined ESPN as a guest analyst in the spring of 1994 and 1995 when the Kings missed the playoffs[8] and permanently in the fall of 1995 as a color commentator and studio analyst alongside hostJohn Buccigross andJohn Saunders. He left ESPN in June 2008 to coach the Tampa Bay Lightning.[6] After his short stint with the Lightning ended, he returned to ESPN on January 1, 2009, in conjunction with theWinter Classic played between the Detroit Red Wings andChicago Blackhawks.[9] He was also the lead studio analyst onNHL 2Night together withRay Ferraro along with host Buccigross. The trio also called select NHL games and theFrozen Four championship games together.[10][11][5]
On October 10, 2023,John Buccigross, Melrose's longtime colleague at ESPN, announced on X that Melrose would be retiring from the network to spend more time with his family after being diagnosed withParkinson's disease.[12][13][14][15]
Melrose joined theNHL Network as a contributor in September 2011.[16]
Born inKelvington, Saskatchewan to Norrie and James Melrose, he grew up on a farm outside the town. He is the cousin of former NHL playersWendel Clark andJoe Kocur and longtime minor league forwardKerry Clark. Melrose currently resides inGlens Falls, New York with his wife, Cindy, and the couple have two sons, Tyrell and Adrien. Melrose became an American citizen in March 1998.[1]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1973–74 | Weyburn Red Wings | SJHL | 50 | 2 | 19 | 21 | 162 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974–75 | Kamloops Chiefs | WCHL | 70 | 6 | 18 | 24 | 95 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 21 | ||
| 1975–76 | Kamloops Chiefs | WCHL | 72 | 12 | 49 | 61 | 112 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 14 | ||
| 1976–77 | Cincinnati Stingers | WHA | 29 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1976–77 | Springfield Indians | AHL | 23 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977–78 | Cincinnati Stingers | WHA | 69 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 113 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1978–79 | Cincinnati Stingers | WHA | 80 | 2 | 14 | 16 | 222 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | ||
| 1979–80 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 74 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 124 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980–81 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 18 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980–81 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 57 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 166 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 15 | ||
| 1981–82 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 64 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 186 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982–83 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 52 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 68 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 23 | ||
| 1982–83 | St. Catharines Saints | AHL | 25 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 106 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1983–84 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 21 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 74 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1983–84 | Adirondack Red Wings | AHL | 16 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 37 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | Adirondack Red Wings | AHL | 72 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 226 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1985–86 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 70 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1985–86 | Adirondack Red Wings | AHL | 57 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 204 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986–87 | Adirondack Red Wings | AHL | 55 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 170 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 107 | ||
| WHA totals | 178 | 5 | 27 | 32 | 343 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||||
| AHL totals | 248 | 14 | 40 | 54 | 760 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 107 | ||||
| NHL totals | 300 | 10 | 23 | 33 | 728 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 38 | ||||
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | Finish | Result | ||
| LAK | 1992–93 | 84 | 39 | 35 | 10 | — | 88 | 3rd inSmythe | Lost inStanley Cup Finals (MTL) |
| LAK | 1993–94 | 84 | 27 | 45 | 12 | — | 66 | 5th inPacific | Missed playoffs |
| LAK | 1994–95 | 41 | 13 | 21 | 7 | — | (33) | (fired) | — |
| TBL | 2008–09 | 16 | 5 | 7 | — | 4 | (14) | (fired) | — |
| Total | 225 | 84 | 108 | 29 | 4 | 1 playoff appearance | |||
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Head coach of the Los Angeles Kings 1992–1995 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning 2008 | Succeeded by |
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Owners:Walt Disney Company (80%);Hearst Communications (20%) | |||||||||||||||||||
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