NHL Hockey: Mel Bridgman
Born: April 28, 1955 (age 56), Trenton, ON, CAN
Height: 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight: 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position: Centre
Shot: Left
Played for: NHL 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
Mel Bridgman, a veteran of 14 NHL seasons was born on April 28, 1955 in Trenton Ontario and quickly became one of the more feared and well rounded players for his time in the game. He was tough, he was gifted and most of all he was durable.
Bridgman started his junior career in Victoria where he played four games for the Cougars during the 1971-72 season.
The following year he headed north to play for the Nanaimo Clippers of the British Columbia Hockey League. He scored 37 goals and added 50 assists in 49 games that year and was once again summoned back to the Western Hockey League Victoria Cougars where he would play another three seasons and score 39 goals while adding 131 assists in 132 games.
Northwest Athlete Profile - Mel Bridgman
Bridgman made enough of an impression that he would get drafted first overall in the 1975 NHL Draft. He played seven seasons with the Flyers, two with the Calgary Flames, four seasons with the New Jersey Devils and one more with the Detroit Red Wings.
During his career Bridgman played 977 games, scored 252 goals, had 449 assists and added 1625 penalty minutes.
His best offensive season was the 1981-1982 season when he set career highs with 33 goals, 54 assists, and 87 points.
Bridgman’s last season in the NHL was the 1988-1989. He played 15 games with the Vancouver canucks before hanging up the skates.
After retirement, Bridgman took an unconventional route to success – he went back to University and earned a degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Bridgman returned to the hockey ranks as the first ever General manager of the Ottawa Senators in 1982.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 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 | 1625 | 125 | 28 | 39 | 67 | 298 | ||||
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