NHL hockey was back on ESPN for another season, but this time with a heavy heart after the recent death of the network's legendary analyst Barry Melrose.
Melrose, a former NHL player and coach, was the face of hockey at ESPN in the 1990s after coaching the Los Angeles Kings to the Stanley Cup Final. He returned to the network in 2009 after pursuing coaching again, this time with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He retired in 2023 after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
ESPN's Bob Wischusen and Erik Johnson paid tribute to Melrose's iconic career in hockey broadcasting while calling the 2026-27 season opener between the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday.
"Our collective hockey hearts at ESPN were broken on September 9th when Barry Melrose passed away at the age of 70," Wischusen said coming back from commercial break during the second period. "Of course, known as a coach and a player but his role as an ESPN studio analyst, his legacy in the sport, endearing himself to hockey fans worldwide... He was one of a kind and he will be missed forever."
"As much as I wanted to be a hockey player as a kid I wanted to be a broadcaster too and I idolized Barry Melrose," said Johnson, a Stanley Cup champion with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022 who was hired by ESPN upon his retirement. "I remember being so nervous meeting him for the first time when I was 18 years old. Just a total titan, a total legend and we'll miss him big time."
