Yesterday was a sad day for hockey fans across the United States. Former NHL head coach and colorful ESPN/NHL Network analyst Barry Melrose passed away at the age of 70. For many, including myself, Melrose was one of the preeminent faces of the NHL. The former flashy LA Kings coach transitioned wonderfully into the beloved hockey commentator who had the definition of hockey hair. Decades back, Melrose was hockey in America. The sport had been bouncing around from network to network, but the sharp-looking, smooth-talking analyst was there nightly for hockey fans on ESPN’s NHL 2Night. The show made it possible for fans to catch up on out-of-town matchups, but it wasn’t the highlights that made us return each night. It was Melrose’s commentary, flair, hair, and passion for the sport we all love.
Barry was my best friend at ESPN. A big brother figure of rock solid values. I am shook to my core. Barry gave his life to hockey and some of his ESPN family, like me, learned of his shocking death today while at a hockey rink in Las Vegas preparing for the upcoming season.… pic.twitter.com/x1zV1b4z87
Starting with the iconic NHL 2Night theme song to the amusing banter, there was no better way to take in a daily dose of hockey news. For decades, he was the NHL’s best ambassador. Hockey fans were lucky when he stepped into the booth and called a live game. It went from being a normal match to being the game of the net. Even the Great One, Wayne Gretzky, called Melrose bigger than any team.
ESPN hockey voice Steve Levy on the passing of his longtime friend & co-worker Barry Melrose pic.twitter.com/QJ953Q81BC
The legendary hockey figure praised SinBin.vegas for our coverage during the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs. In a cramped, long media bathroom line in San Jose, Melrose and I struck up a conversation. Donning a flashy three-piece suit and his patented Wall Street slicked-back hair, I introduced myself. We began discussing the Golden Knights and Sharks series and chatting about other series going on around the league. While it may have been a formality, Melrose kindly noted our work and pointed to the logo, saying he’d read our stuff on Twitter. It probably meant nothing to Barry, but it meant the world to Ken and me. I rushed back to my seat in the auxiliary press box at SAP Center and told Ken, “Melrose recognized the logo on my shirt!” We celebrated like we had just scored an overtime goal because it was a true realization that SinBin held a seat at the table. I had a chance to catch up with him again during Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena, and it’s a conversation I’ll never forget.
It’s impossible to overstate the impact of Barry Melrose on hockey in 🇺🇸. He was ‘the’ voice, the guy, the man who brought it to the mainstream.
To somehow be in his orbit and around his aura of cool? Surreal. The hockey world lost an incredible human being, gone way too soon. pic.twitter.com/hoImQMY0A7
Expect NHL teams to honor Melrose over the upcoming 2026-27 season, including the Golden Knights. Although Melrose’s popularity exploded pre-VGK, the beloved analyst began gracing the T-Mobile Arena corridors during the 2017-18 season with ESPN and NHL Network. In June 2018, Melrose told LVSportsBiz founder Alan Snell that winning was the best way to market a new franchise.
The memories and stories have flooded social media and a number of sports networks over the past 24 hours. Melrose is widely remembered as an analyst, coach, and a great friend. Most notably, he’ll always be celebrated for having the most iconic head of hair in sports.
Season 10 is right around the corner as the Golden Knights look to build on their historic franchise start. Over the first nine seasons and into Year 10, there has been no shortage of defining players. So, we decided to build the All-Decade team. Rather than simply select the “best” players and fill them into a four-line, three-pair roster, we focused more on “roles” to determine who makes the team.
Top Line Stone(C)-Eichel-Marchessault
While there are many choices, there really doesn’t need to be too much discussion over who would serve as the top line for this team. Clearly, Eichel is the center, obviously the best goal scorer in team history goes into his natural spot on the right, and the hockey-IQ genius captain swaps sides to round it out.
Shutdown Line R.Smith-Karlsson-Marner
The Misfit Line was a godsend for the first half of the decade but there’s now a new perfect fit on the right wing. Prime Reilly Smith next to Karlsson and Marner would be the nastiest shutdown line in the entire league. Plus, they’d probably chip in a bunch of offense too.
Versatile 3rd Line Pacioretty-Stephenson-Tuch
It started to get a little tough in this spot as players like Nic Roy, Erik Haula, and Paul Stastny deserved a shout, but in the end, the speed and finishing ability on this line would be filthy. The speed of both Stephenson and Tuch would create tons of space for Pacioretty to work his magic. Amazingly, this trio actually did play one game together in 2021 during the 56-game COVID season. The very next game Stone returned, and they never played together again.
