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Mel Bridgman, Former Flyers No. 1 Pick and Senators’ First GM, Dies at 70

The NHL Alumni Association confirmed his death without releasing a cause.

Overview

  • A first-overall pick in 1975, Bridgman was the Flyers’ only No. 1 draft choice and debuted after a 157-point junior season with the Victoria Cougars.
  • He captained Philadelphia from 1979 to 1981, including during the club’s record 35-game unbeaten run in 1979–80, and helped reach the Stanley Cup Final in 1976 and 1980.
  • Across 14 NHL seasons with Philadelphia, Calgary, New Jersey, Detroit and Vancouver, he recorded 252 goals and 449 assists in 977 regular-season games.
  • Bridgman also wore the ‘C’ for the Devils and totaled 28 goals and 39 assists in 125 playoff games.
  • After earning an MBA from Wharton, he became the first general manager of the modern Ottawa Senators in 1991, overseeing their inaugural 1992–93 season.