“Former NHL Player and Ottawa Senators GM Mel Bridgman Dies at 70”

Former NHL player and Ottawa Senators general manager Mel Bridgman has 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 over six seasons with them. 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. Bridgman subsequently joined the New Jersey Devils in 1983-84 and later moved to the Detroit Red Wings in 1986-87 before concluding his career with the Vancouver Canucks in 1988-89. The Ontario native accumulated 701 points, including 252 goals and 449 assists, in 977 regular-season games. In 1991, Bridgman became the inaugural general manager of the Senators and served in that role until 1993.