Barry Melrose wasn't unemployed for too long.

Melrose will rejoin ESPN as a hockey analyst, beginning New Year's Day. Melrose had been at ESPN from October 1996, and left in June to become coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning fired him Nov. 14, 16 games into the season.

"I am very, very excited about coming back home to ESPN, where I have had so many great years,” Melrose said in a statement. “I look forward to analyzing people being fired, rather than being the guy fired.”

Melrose will join Matthew Barnaby on ESPN. Barnaby was hired after Melrose was named the Lightning's coach.

"We welcome Barry back to ESPN," said Mark Gross, ESPN senior vice president and managing editor, studio production. "By pairing him with Matthew, ESPN enhances its NHL coverage, and provides hockey fans the in-depth analysis and insight from both the coach and player perspectives.”