NHL tough guy Mel Bridgman became the Senators’ ill-fated inaugural GM

Despite coming close twice, Mel Bridgman never had his name engraved on the Stanley Cup.

But Mr. Bridgman, who died Nov. 6 at the age of 70 in a Victoria hospital after two recent heart attacks, still made indelible notches in National Hockey League history both as a player with five clubs and, albeit briefly, as a team executive. In the process, he pulled off a series of firsts.