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 on Saturday without disclosing the cause. Bridgman was selected as the first overall pick in the 1975 NHL draft by the Philadelphia Flyers, where he played for over six seasons.
In the 1981-82 season, he was traded to the Calgary Flames and had a standout performance with 33 goals and 54 assists in 72 games. Bridgman later joined the New Jersey Devils for three years before moving to the Detroit Red Wings in 1986-87. He concluded his 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, in 977 regular-season games. In 1991, he became the inaugural general manager of the Ottawa Senators, a role he held until 1993.