Barry Melrose facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Barry Melrose |
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Barry Melrose pictured at the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals
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| Born | July 15, 1956 Kelvington, Saskatchewan, Canada |
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| 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 |
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| NHL Draft | 36th overall, 1976 Montreal Canadiens |
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| WHA Draft | 37th overall, 1976 Cincinnati Stingers |
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| Playing career | 1974–1987 | ||
Barry James Melrose (born July 15, 1956) is a Canadian-American who used to play and coach ice hockey. He also worked as a TV commentator. Barry Melrose played in two major hockey leagues: the World Hockey Association (WHA) and the National Hockey League (NHL).
After he stopped playing, he became a coach. He is famous for leading the Los Angeles Kings team to the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals. For many years, he was a well-known hockey expert and commentator for ESPN and the NHL Network.
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Barry Melrose's Hockey Journey
Playing Hockey
Barry Melrose started his hockey career as a defenceman. He played for the Kamloops Chiefs in the WCHL in 1974. He stayed with them for two years.
In the 1976–77 season, he played for the Springfield Indians in the AHL. Later that season, he joined the Cincinnati Stingers in the WHA. He played there until 1979.
When the WHA league ended, some of its teams joined the NHL. Barry Melrose then joined the Winnipeg Jets for the 1979–80 season.
For the rest of his playing career, Melrose played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Detroit Red Wings. He also played for their smaller teams in the AHL. His last season was with the Adirondack Red Wings in the AHL during the 1986–87 season.
During his time in the NHL, he played 300 games. He scored 10 goals and had 23 assists. He also spent a lot of time in the penalty box, with 728 penalty minutes.
Coaching Hockey
Right after he stopped playing, Barry Melrose started coaching. In the 1987–88 season, he coached the Medicine Hat Tigers in the WHL. He led them to a great record and helped them win the Memorial Cup, a big championship for junior hockey.
The next season, he coached the Seattle Thunderbirds. Then, he moved to the AHL to coach the Adirondack Red Wings. He coached them for three years. In the 1991–92 season, he led them to win the Calder Cup, another important championship.
In the 1992–93 season, Melrose became the coach for the Los Angeles Kings in the NHL. He led them all the way to the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals. They played against the Montreal Canadiens but lost in five games. He coached the Kings for two more seasons. After that, he worked as a hockey expert for ESPN for 13 years.
On June 4, 2008, Melrose said on a TV show that he missed coaching. He said he wanted to be involved in the game again. The Tampa Bay Lightning hired him as their head coach in June 2008. On October 21, 2008, he got his first win as a coach in over 13 years. However, he was fired by the Lightning on November 14, 2008.
Working for ESPN
Barry Melrose first joined ESPN as a guest expert in 1994 and 1995. He became a full-time commentator and studio expert in 1995. He worked alongside hosts John Buccigross and John Saunders. He left ESPN in June 2008 to coach the Tampa Bay Lightning.
After his short time coaching, he returned to ESPN on January 1, 2009. He was a main studio expert on the show NHL 2Night with Ray Ferraro and host John Buccigross. This group also called some NHL games and the Frozen Four championship games.
On October 10, 2023, John Buccigross announced that Barry Melrose would be retiring from ESPN. He retired to spend more time with his family after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
Working for NHL Network
Barry Melrose also joined the NHL Network in September 2011. He worked there as a contributor, sharing his hockey knowledge.
About Barry Melrose's Life
Barry Melrose was born in Kelvington, Saskatchewan. His parents were Norrie and James Melrose. He grew up on a farm near the town. He is related to former NHL players Wendel Clark and Joe Kocur. He is also related to Kerry Clark, who played in minor leagues for a long time.
Melrose lives in Glens Falls, New York with his wife, Cindy. They have two sons named Tyrell and Adrien. Barry Melrose became an American citizen in March 1998.
See also
- Notable families in the NHL
- Playoff mullet
