Former NHL player and former Ottawa Senators general manager, Mel Bridgman, passed away at the age of 70. The NHL Alumni Association confirmed his death over the weekend, although the cause of death was not provided.
Bridgman was selected as the first overall pick in the 1975 NHL draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. He spent over six seasons with the Flyers before being traded to the Calgary Flames in the 1981-82 season. During his time with the Flames, Bridgman achieved a career-high of 33 goals and 54 assists in 72 games. He later joined the New Jersey Devils in the 1983-84 season and then moved to the Detroit Red Wings in 1986-87. Bridgman concluded his NHL career with the Vancouver Canucks in the 1988-89 season.
Hailing from Trenton, Ontario, Bridgman amassed a total of 701 points, including 252 goals and 449 assists, throughout 977 regular-season games. In 1991, he was appointed as the inaugural general manager of the newly established Ottawa Senators, a role he served in until 1993.
