Barry Melrose, a former NHL player and coach and longtime ESPN hockey analyst, dies at age 70 after a battle with Parkinson’s disease. Multiple outlets report he stepped away from ESPN in 2023 after publicly revealing his diagnosis.

Melrose is widely remembered for his role with the Los Angeles Kings, including leading the franchise to the Stanley Cup Final in 1993. Later, he became a prominent television presence as an ESPN hockey commentator and analyst, with outlets noting decades of work in that role and describing him as a leading, recognizable voice in mainstream U.S. hockey coverage.

Coverage generally aligns on the timeline of his career shift—from player to coach to broadcasting—and on his Parkinson’s-linked retirement. Some outlets emphasize different facets, such as his early NHL playing career, his “signature” analyst status at ESPN, or how his commentary helped broaden the sport’s reach in the United States. While those emphases vary, the core facts of his death, age, and career milestones remain consistent across sources.