Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Barry Melrose Joins The NHL Network

09/26/2017 at 10:34am EDT

September 25, 2017 – NHL Network today announced that Barry Melrose, a six-year NHL veteran, former NHL head coach and one of the best-known personalities in hockey, has joined its roster of on-air talent as a studio analyst. Melrose, who previously served as an NHL Network analyst from 2011-2015, will mark his return to NHL Network on NHL Tonight: Western Conference Preview on Sunday, October 1 at 4:00 p.m. ET.

“With the regular season about to begin, I’m very excited to once again work with the group at NHL Network,” said Melrose. “I’m looking forward to being in the studio and providing analysis and breakdowns on all 31 teams across the league.”

In addition to NHL Network, Melrose will continue his role as a hockey analyst at ESPN, where he has covered 21 Stanley Cup Finals since first joining the network in 1996 and has called games during the NHL regular season, Stanley Cup Playoffs and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. In June 2008, Melrose became the head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, his first such position since coaching the Los Angeles Kings 13 years before. With the Kings, Melrose made franchise history by leading the team to the 1993 Stanley Cup Final in his debut season. In addition to his NHL coaching positions, Melrose, a Kelvington, Saskatchewan native, coached the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers (1987-1988) and Seattle Thunderbirds (1988-1989), and the American Hockey League’s Adirondack Red Wings (1989-1992). While with Adirondack, Melrose led the Red Wings to the 1991 Calder Cup and served as general manager in his final two seasons as head coach (1990-1992).

Drafted 36th overall in 1976 by the Montreal Canadiens, Melrose played 11 seasons of professional hockey, including six NHL seasons for the Winnipeg Jets (1979-1980), Toronto Maple Leafs (1980-1983) and Detroit Red Wings (1983-1986), in addition to the AHL’s Springfield Indians (1976-1977), World Hockey Association’s Cincinnati Stingers (1976-1979), and AHL’s Adirondack Red Wings (1986-1987).

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About Kukla's Korner Hockey

Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

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