Sabres’ Meehan, ex-captain/GM, dead at 79

NHL

Gerry Meehan, who previously played as a winger and held the general manager position for the Buffalo Sabres, has passed away at 79. The Sabres organization made the announcement of Meehan’s demise via their official web portal and social media channels on Saturday.

Born in Toronto, he achieved Buffalo’s initial assist and participated in ten National Hockey League seasons

Text to Speech Icon

Listen to this article

Estimated 1 minute

The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.

A Buffalo Sabres NHL jersey.
Gerry Meehan played for the initial Sabres roster in 1970 and held the role of the team’s general manager between 1986 and 1993. (Kevin Hoffman/Getty Images)

Gerry Meehan, who previously played as a winger and held the general manager position for the Buffalo Sabres, has passed away at 79.

The Sabres organization made the announcement of Meehan’s demise via their official web portal and social media channels on Saturday.

Hailing from Toronto, Meehan joined the Sabres as an original member in 1970, where he registered the franchise’s inaugural assist. He also served as the club’s second captain and competed for a decade in the NHL across teams including Buffalo, Vancouver, Atlanta, and Washington.

Meehan held the general manager role for Buffalo during the period of 1986 through 1993.

Together with Don Luce, the director of player development, Meehan facilitated Alexander Mogilny’s defection, making him the initial player from the former Soviet Union to move to North America. This action paved the way for subsequent Soviet athletes to do the same.

He leaves behind his spouse, three offspring, and four grandchildren.

LISTEN | Meehan on helping Mogilny defect from the Soviet Union:

Hockey Night in Canada podcast: Gerry Meehan on helping Alexander Mogilny defect from the Soviet Union

This week’s program explores the progression of Russian ice hockey within the National Hockey League.

Information provided by CBC Sports

Corrections and clarifications·