First drafted by Toronto in 1963, the retired NHL left winger went on to play for the Maple Leafs, the Philadelphia Flyers, the Buffalo Sabres, the Vancouver Canucks, the Atlanta Flames, and the Washington Capitals, serving as captain for both the Sabres and Capitals.

Over his playing career, Meehan scored 423 points in 670 regular season games, but he also made a name for himself after his on-ice retirement. In 1984, the Sabres made Meehan the first former team member to serve as assistant general manager.

He was promoted to general manager during the 1986-87 season and brought in a number of star players over the course of his tenure in the position, including Pierre Turgeon, Alexander Mogilny, Dale Hawerchuk, Pat LaFontaine, and Dominik Hašek.