WATCH: Hockey Icon Wayne Gretzky Gives Touching Tribute to ESPN’s Barry Melrose, Who’s Retiring Due to Parkinson’s Diagnosis

ESPN on Tuesday announced that analyst Barry Melrose has retired to be with his family after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.

To honor Melrose, the network tapped none other than hockey legend Wayne Gretzky to give a moving tribute.

In the video, Gretzky recalled playing for Melrose when he coached the Los Angeles Kings for three seasons beginning in 1992.

“Barry was hired to be our coach in LA in 1992, and he was just 35,” Gretzky said. “He’d never coached a game in the NHL; but as soon as he took over, all we did was start winning. And that first year, we went all the way to the Stanley Cup Final.

“But within a couple of years of the ’93 final, Barry found his true calling.”

After his time with the Kings, Melrose joined ESPN as an analyst for the show NHL 2Night. Melrose, as Gretzky noted, stayed true to himself on the network — and that included his now-iconic hairdo and love for head-turning suits.

“On TV, Barry was — well, from day one — Barry. No tricks,” Gretzky said. “Instead, Barry was all treats. And, above all, a man who loved his country.

“Without pandering, without sugarcoating — in his flamboyant suits, with his big cigars — Barry has brought the game to life for millions of viewers.”

To demonstrate his impact on the sport, the tribute then showed clips of multiple people — including a hockey referee and NBA analyst Charles Barkley — telling him how much they love his work. Barkley even called him the best in the entire sports industry.

“Barry has given so much to the game,” Gretzky continued. “And now, he needs our support. And all of us in hockey are here for him.”

Watch above via ESPN