Melrose has Parkinson’s disease, retires from ESPN
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Los Angeles Kings president Luc Robitaille, who played for Melrose when he coached the Kings from 1992-95, posted on social media that Melrose was “a tremendous leader who brought an incredible amount of personality to our hockey club and organization. His booming laugh is second to none.”
Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements such as shaking, stiffness and difficulty with balance and coordination, according to the National Institute on Aging.
About one million people in the United States are living with Parkinson’s disease, according to Parkinson’s Foundation. More than 8.5 million people worldwide have the disease, according to the World Health Organization.
Actors Michael J. Fox and Alan Alda, singers Neil Diamond and Linda Ronstadt and the late boxer Muhammad Ali are among the notable figures who were diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
Melrose joined ESPN as a hockey analyst in 1996 after he coached the Kings. With Wayne Gretzky as a star player, Melrose guided Los Angeles to its first Stanley Cup Final in 1993, a five-game loss to the Montreal Canadiens.
Melrose was 79-101-29-0 in the regular season with Los Angeles and 13-11-0 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He coached the Tampa Bay Lightning for 16 games in 2008.
A second-round pick (No. 36) by the Canadiens in the 1976 NHL Draft, Melrose was a defenseman for the Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings from 1979-86. He had 33 points (10 goals, 23 assists) in 300 regular-season games and two assists in seven playoff games.
In addition to hockey and broadcasting, Melrose dabbled in acting. He appeared as himself in the hockey movie “Mystery, Alaska” in 1999 and was a guest in 2001 on the ABC comedy series “Spin City,” which starred Fox.