Mel Bridgman
Born (1955-04-28) April 28, 1955 (age 68)
Trenton, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Left
Played for Philadelphia Flyers
Calgary Flames
New Jersey Devils
Detroit Red Wings
Vancouver Canucks
National team  Canada
NHL Draft 1st overall, 1975
Philadelphia Flyers
WHA Draft 4th overall, 1975
Denver Spurs
Playing career 1975–1989

Melvin John Bridgman (born April 28, 1955) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1975–76 until 1988–89. He featured in two Stanley Cup Finals with the Flyers (1976, 1980). Bridgman was born in Trenton, Ontario, but grew up in Thunder Bay, Ontario, before moving to Victoria, British Columbia.[1]

After his playing career, he earned his MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

In 1992, Bridgman was the first general manager of the modern-day Ottawa Senators of the NHL.[2][3]

Playing career

Bridgman was drafted first overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft. He played 977 career NHL games, scoring 252 goals and 449 assists for 701 points, as well as adding 1625 penalty minutes. His best offensive season was the 1981–82 season, when he set career highs with 33 goals, 54 assists, and 87 points. Throughout his career Bridgman was known as a consistent offensive contributor, a smart defensive centre, and a gritty, hard-nosed, power forward who would check and fight regularly.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1971–72 Victoria Racquet Club Minor-BC — — — — — — — — — —
1971–72 Victoria Cougars WCHL 4 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
1972–73 Nanaimo Clippers BCHL 49 37 50 87 31 — — — — —
1972–73 Victoria Cougars WCHL 4 1 1 2 0 — — — — —
1973–74 Victoria Cougars WCHL 62 26 39 65 149 — — — — —
1974–75 Victoria Cougars WCHL 66 66 91 157 175 12 12 6 18 34
1975–76 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 80 23 27 50 86 16 6 8 14 31
1976–77 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 70 19 38 57 120 7 1 0 1 8
1977–78 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 76 16 32 48 203 12 1 7 8 36
1978–79 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 76 24 35 59 184 8 1 2 3 17
1979–80 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 74 16 31 47 136 19 2 9 11 70
1980–81 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 77 14 37 51 195 12 2 4 6 39
1981–82 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 9 7 5 12 47 — — — — —
1981–82 Calgary Flames NHL 63 26 49 75 94 3 2 0 2 14
1982–83 Calgary Flames NHL 79 19 31 50 103 9 3 4 7 33
1983–84 New Jersey Devils NHL 79 23 38 61 121 — — — — —
1984–85 New Jersey Devils NHL 80 22 39 61 105 — — — — —
1985–86 New Jersey Devils NHL 78 23 40 63 80 — — — — —
1986–87 New Jersey Devils NHL 51 8 31 39 80 — — — — —
1986–87 Detroit Red Wings NHL 13 2 2 4 19 16 5 2 7 28
1987–88 Adirondack Red Wings AHL 2 1 2 3 0 — — — — —
1987–88 Detroit Red Wings NHL 57 6 11 17 42 16 4 1 5 12
1988–89 Vancouver Canucks NHL 15 4 3 7 10 7 1 2 3 10
NHL totals 977 252 449 701 1,625 125 28 39 67 298

International

Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
1975 Canada WJC 5 1 4 5 9

Awards

References

  1. ^ "Flyers Heroes of the Past: Mel Bridgman".
  2. ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: HOCKEY; Bridgman to Run Freshman Senators". The New York Times. August 31, 1991. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  3. ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: HOCKEY; Senators Shuffle the Front Office". The New York Times. April 16, 1993. Retrieved May 17, 2016.

External links

Preceded byGreg Joly NHL first overall draft pick 1975 Succeeded byRick Green Preceded byBill Barber Philadelphia Flyers' first round draft pick 1975 Succeeded byMark Suzor Preceded byBobby Clarke Philadelphia Flyers captain 1979–81 Succeeded byBill Barber Preceded byDon Lever New Jersey Devils captain 1984–87 Succeeded byKirk Muller Preceded byPosition created General manager of the Ottawa Senators 1992–93 Succeeded byRandy Sexton
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