NHL podcast Len Shapiro: Barry Melrose dead at 70 one of the best NHL analysts; Red Wings DeBrincat hopes Larkin can work things out with contract;

Former NHL Fox analyst and head coach of the Los Angeles Kings Barry Melrose passed away at the age of 70 his family announced Thu Sep 10, 2026 (AP News photo)

NHL podcast Len Shapiro:

#1 Former NHL Fox analyst and head coach of the Los Angeles Kings Barry Melrose passed away at 70 years old on Thursday. Melrose was suffering from Parkinson’s which he was diognoised with in 2023 which forced him to retire from broadcasting.

#2 Detroit Red Wings star Alex DeBrincat said that Dylan Larkin makes the Red Wings a better team in spite of Larkin’s reqest to be traded. Larkin has a full no trade clause running through the 27-28 season according to his contract. Patrick Kane who left the Wings for the Blackhawks partly because of the Larkin debacle.

#3 The Anaheim Ducks have placed veteran forward Chris Kreider on waivers so that the Ducks can terminate his contract. Kreider 35, in his seventh year of his contract earning him $6.5 million an average against the salary cap. Kreider wanted to play for a team closer to the east coast but no team as been determined as yet.

#4 Alex Formenton was third player aquitted for sexual assault a case that ended in July 2025 and will now join the Edmonton Oilers. Formenton last played in the NHL in 2022 with the Ottawa Senators. Formenton played the last four years in Switzerland. An Ontario judge found the four players not guilty of sexual assault during an event there in 2018 celebrating Canada’s gold medal winning world junior team.

 #5 The Boston Bruins announced they have signed forward Fraser Minten to a seven year $50.4 million extension. Minten scored 17 goals and had 18 assists in his first year, Minten also was fifth with 142 hits. Bruins general manager Dan Sweeny said that Fraser has earned the “accerlerated trust of his teammates.”

#6 Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyuk’s shopping spree to get free from Winnipeg had Jet’s captain Adam Lowry saying that the trade rumors “are not worth our time” Lowry said,  “(If) you spend so much time speculating on it you’re going to drive yourself crazy. The situation is going to resolve itself one way or the other…”

Join Len Shapiro for the NHL podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NHL podcast with Len Shapiro: Rangers deal Trouba to Ducks; Blackhawks fire Richardson replace him with Sorenson; Lowry gets game winner for Jets over Sabres 3-2; plus more news

Montreal Canadiens right wing Josh Anderson (17) dukes it out with former New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba (8) at Madison Square Garden in New York on Nov 30, 2024. Trouba was traded to the Anaheim Ducks on Fri Nov 6, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the NHL podcast with Len Shapiro:

#1 New York Rangers traded Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks for defenseman Urho Vaakainen. Trouba was held out for a couple game previous to the trade.

#2 The Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson fired head coach Luke Richardson. Richardson had gone 57-118-15 in three years and was 8-16-2 for the last place Blackhawks. Davidson hired interim head coach Anders Sorenson who becomes the first Swedish born head coach in NHL history. Sorenson was the Blackhawks AHL affiliate head coach with the Rockford Ice Hogs.

#3 The Winnipeg Jets Adam Lowry scored a game winning goal in the overtime stanza as the Jets defeated the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 at Key Bank Center in Buffalo on Thursday night. The Jets Josh Morrissey hit a rebound towards Lowry who shot it past the right post.

#4Former San Jose Shark and Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan after nine seasons with the Pens will coach his 700th game on Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. This season is Sullivan’s 21st year as a head coach in the NHL.

#5 The Montreal Canadiens picked up their second straight win defeating the Nashville Predators in a shutout 3-0. The Habs Patrik Laine scored in his second straight game and Habs goaltender Sam Montembeault saved 29 shots for the shutout.

# 6 The Edmonton Oilers Zach Hyman scored twice in his return from the injured list, teammate Connor McDavid got four assists defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-3. “It was nice to get ‘Hysey’ back,” McDavid said. “It was nice to create some chances. I thought ‘Nuge’ (Ryan Nugent-Hopkins) played well, as well. When you’ve got three guys playing well, it’s fun out there.”

Join Len Shapiro for the NHL podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com