Gerry Meehan, former Buffalo Sabres player and general manager, died Friday at age 79. The Sabres announced his passing Saturday after being notified by family members. Meehan, a Toronto native who adopted Buffalo as his hometown, began his NHL career after the Sabres selected him in the 1970 expansion draft.

Meehan recorded two assists in Buffalo's inaugural game and later served as team captain before being traded to Vancouver in 1974. After retiring in 1979, he returned to Buffalo to earn his law degree and joined the Sabres front office in 1984 under Scotty Bowman. He became general manager during the 1986-87 season.

As GM, Meehan orchestrated several franchise-defining moves, acquiring future Hall of Famers Dominik Hasek, Pat LaFontaine, Alexander Mogilny, and Dale Hawerchuk between 1989 and 1992. His most notable transaction involved secretly bringing Mogilny from the Soviet Union to North America. He also pulled off a lopsided trade for Hasek, sending Chicago just Stephane Beauregard and a fourth-round pick.

Meehan's GM tenure concluded after the 1995-96 season. He finished his playing career with 180 goals and 423 points across 670 games. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman called him a "pillar of the franchise" and praised his mentorship of players and executives.