gerry meehan, the former Buffalo Sabres captain and general manager, died at 79 on Friday. His career with Buffalo stretched from the ice to the front office, making him one of the franchise's notable figures from its early years through its management ranks.
He played 10 NHL seasons between 1968 and 1979, then returned to the Sabres in management. Meehan rejoined Buffalo as assistant general manager in 1984 and was promoted to general manager partway through the 1986-87 season after the team relieved both its GM and head coach.
Toronto Steps To Buffalo
Meehan's path started in Toronto-area junior hockey. The Toronto Maple Leafs selected him in the fourth round in 1963, and he joined the Toronto Marlboros lineup in 1964. He spent four years there and was part of the Marlboros' run to the 1967 Memorial Cup.
His scoring caught up quickly after that. In the 1967-68 Central Professional Hockey League season, Meehan posted 72 points in 70 games, and the Maple Leafs promoted him to the NHL roster in 1968.
Sabres Captain Years
He recorded two assists in the first 25 games of his NHL career before a trade sent him to the Philadelphia Flyers a few months after his debut. Meehan played 12 games with Philadelphia and scored three points.
Buffalo took him in the 1970 NHL Expansion Draft, and he delivered 55 points in 77 games in the Sabres' inaugural season. He was later named the second captain in Sabres history, following Floyd Smith.
Moves After Buffalo
Meehan's later years took him through several more stops. He was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in 1974, scored 25 points in 57 games there, and moved on five months later to the Atlanta Flames, where he scored 41 points in 52 games.
In 1976, Buffalo dealt him to the Washington Capitals in a package for Bill Clement. Meehan totaled 144 points in 208 games with Washington and reached a career-high 64 points in the 1976-77 season before a waiver designation led to a brief stint with the WHA's Cincinnati Stingers. He retired from playing in 1979, then returned to the Sabres in 1984 and later moved into the GM role during the 1986-87 season.
For Sabres followers, Meehan's name connects two eras: the first years of the franchise on the ice and the rebuild that reached the front office. His death closes the book on a career that ran from junior hockey in Toronto to Buffalo management.
