Gerry Meehan, one of the first Buffalo Sabres players and an influential GM, dies at 79

Gerry Meehan, one of the Buffalo Sabres’ first players and later a pivotal general manager, has died at 79. The Sabres announced his death after family notification, saying he passed away Friday; the cause and location were not disclosed. Meehan, born in Toronto, helped build Buffalo’s identity as a player and executive, including as GM from the late 1980s into 1996. He orchestrated moves that brought Dominik Hasek, Pat LaFontaine, Alexander Mogilny and Dale Hawerchuk to the team, and oversaw Mogilny’s defection from the Soviet Union. Commissioner Gary Bettman lauded him as a franchise pillar, highlighting his influence on players and executives.