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, died Saturday. He was 70.

The NHL Alumni Association announced the death. It didn't give a cause.

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

A strong checker and dependable scorer and fighter, Mr. 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 six more in a postseason run that en

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