|
Printable Page
06/06 14:29 CDT Gerry Meehan, one of the first Buffalo Sabres players and an
influential GM, dies at 79
Gerry Meehan, one of the first Buffalo Sabres players and an influential GM,
dies at 79
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) --- Gerry Meehan, one of the Buffalo Sabres' first players
who went on to an influential role as the team's general manager, has died. He
was 79.
The Sabres announced Meehan's death on Saturday after being informed by a
member of his family. The team said he died Friday. The cause of death and
where Meehan died were not immediately available.
Meehan was from Toronto but essentially adopted Buffalo as his hometown as a
player and eventual executive. As GM, he was responsible for acquiring eventual
hall of famers Dominik Hasek, Pat LaFontaine, Alexander Mogilny and Dale
Hawerchuk spanning the late 1980s and early 1990s.
His introduction to Buffalo came after splitting his rookie NHL season between
Toronto and Philadelphia in being selected by the Sabres in the 1970 expansion
draft.
The center went on to set up the franchise's first goal in a two-assist outing
in Buffalo's first game. Meehan later became the team's captain before being
traded to Vancouver in October 1974.
Upon completing his 10-year NHL career and two games with Cincinnati of the
World Hockey Association in 1978-79, Meehan returned to Buffalo to earn a law
degree before joining the Sabres' front office in 1984 under general manager
Scotty Bowman.
In replacing Bowman as GM during the 1986-87 season, Meehan oversaw numerous
franchise-changing moves, including Mogilny's defection from the Soviet Union
in 1989. Meehan and Sabres player development director Don Luce traveled to
Sweden, where Mogilny was competing in a tournament, and covertly ushered him
back to North America.
Mogilny referred to Meehan as "my guiding light when I came into the NHL"
during his induction speech last year.
In a statement released by the league, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman referred
to Meehan as a "pillar of the franchise."
"As shrewd and successful as he was on the ice and in the front office, Meehan
had a significant impact on countless players and executives in recent years as
a generous mentor and advisor," Bettman added.
With Mogilny, Meehan rebuilt the Sabres by acquiring Hawerchuk in a trade with
Winnipeg in 1990. A year later, Buffalo sent Pierre Turgeon to the New York
Islanders to acquire LaFontaine, who would post a 148-point season playing
alongside 76 goal-scorer Mogilny in 1992-93.
Meehan then oversaw what is considered among the NHL's most one-sided trades,
acquiring Hasek from Chicago in 1992. Buffalo gave up Stephane Beauregard and a
fourth-round draft pick to land a player who would go on to become a two-time
Hart Trophy-winner as NHL MVP and win six Vezina Trophy's as the league's top
goalie.
Meehan's tenure as GM ended following the 1995-96 season and he remained an
active member of the Sabres Alumni Association.
As a player, he had 180 goals and 423 points in 670 career games, rounded out
by stops in Washington and with the Atlanta Flames.
He is survived by his wife, Mirella, their children Dan, Adam and Kate, and
grandchildren Christian, Alexander, Nathan and Juniper. Funeral arrangements
were not immediately available.
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
