Barry Melrose died Wednesday, according to his wife Cindy, who shared the news with ESPN's Steve Levy. If you grew up watching hockey on TV over the last few decades, you already know why this one stings. Melrose was the guy in the loud suits with the hair that refused to quit, and for a whole generation of American fans he was the hockey voice, period.

ESPN confirmed the news Wednesday.

The résumé covered a little of everything. He played in the NHL, then moved behind the bench as a coach before landing in television. I'm not going to rattle off career totals or coaching stops from memory on a day like this, because the numbers aren't the point, and I'd rather get this column right than botch a detail.

What most people know him for, though, is ESPN. Melrose was a longtime hockey analyst there, and per ESPN's own reporting Wednesday, he was beloved inside the building. He was the face of the sport on that network for a lot of American fans who didn't have another hockey voice in their lives.

I keep thinking about what he actually did on air, because it matters for how we consume analysis now. Melrose was old-school in presentation but modern in function. No vague feelings, no dodging. He'd tell you why a matchup was going sideways, and he made it sound like a guy at the end of the bar walking you through it. Ray Delgado around here keeps telling me you need the eyeballs before the spreadsheet, and Melrose is basically the proof of concept. He watched more hockey than anyone and it showed. That's opinion, and I'll own it as opinion, but he was one of the best analysts ESPN ever put on air.

Deb and I argued once about whether analysts actually matter or whether they're just furniture between highlights, and I took the cynical data side, because of course I did. Melrose is the counterexample I keep in my back pocket. A whole generation of American hockey fans, especially in non-traditional markets, learned this sport partly through him. That's a real impact on how a league grew in this country, even if you can't stuff it into a spreadsheet cell.

Gone way too early. Watch an old clip tonight if you get the chance. Nobody made hockey sound more fun.