Former Flyers Top Pick Mel Bridgman Passes Away
Former Philadelphia Flyers forward Mel Bridgman passed away at the age of 70 on Nov. 8, 2025. Bridgman was the only player in franchise history the Flyers have selected with…
Former Philadelphia Flyers forward Mel Bridgman passed away at the age of 70 on Nov. 8, 2025. Bridgman was the only player in franchise history the Flyers have selected with the first-overall pick.
Mel Bridgman
After the Flyers won their second consecutive Stanley Cup in 1975, they made a surprising trade to send a package with Bill Clement as the centerpiece to the Washington Capitals for the first-overall pick in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft.
Bridgman played parts of seven of his 14 NHL seasons for the Flyers. He scored 119 goals and added 205 assists in 462 games before stints with the New Jersey Devils, Calgary Flames, Detroit Red Wings, and Vancouver Canucks.
He also transitioned to the front office after his playing career ended. Bridgman became the first general manager of the expansion Ottawa Senators in 1991 before they officially played in the NHL.
After selecting Bridgman in 1975, the Flyers haven't landed in the top spot again. They picked James van Riemsdyk in 2007 and Nolan Patrick in 2017 in the second-overall spot.
The Flyers called Mel Bridgman "the prototypical power forward" in a statement released after his death. He helped the franchise to Stanley Cup appearances in 1976 against the Montreal Canadiens and 1980 against the New York Islanders.
