“NHL Veteran and Senators GM Mel Bridgman Dies at 70”

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 without disclosing the cause. Bridgman was selected as the first overall pick in the 1975 NHL draft by the Philadelphia Flyers and played with them for over six seasons. He was later traded to the Calgary Flames during the 1981-82 season, where he achieved a career-high of 33 goals and 54 assists in 72 games. Following his time with the Flames, Bridgman joined the New Jersey Devils in 1983-84 and then moved to the Detroit Red Wings in 1986-87. His final season was with the Vancouver Canucks in 1988-89. Throughout his career, the Trenton, Ontario native amassed 701 points, including 252 goals and 449 assists in 977 regular-season games. In 1991, Bridgman became the inaugural general manager of the Senators, a position he held until 1993.