Mel Bridgman, the rugged former NHL forward who was drafted first overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1975 and was the Ottawa Senators ' first general manager, has died. He was 70.

The NHL Alumni Association announced Bridgman's death Saturday. The statement didn't give a cause of death.

"A prototypical power forward who exemplified Flyers style-hockey," the Flyers said on social media .

A strong checker and dependable scorer and fighter, Bridgman first starred in junior for the Victoria Cougars in the Western Canada Hockey League. In 1974-75 in his last season for the Cougars, he had 66 goals, 91 assists and 175 penalty minutes in 66 regular-season games.

He went straight to Philadelphia -- coming off its second straight title -- as a rookie and had 23 regular-season goals and

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