The New Jersey Devils have completed what many expected them to do for months. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic and Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet are reporting that San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier has been dealt to New Jersey, pending the official trade call with the league. LeBrun adds that there is not yet a contract extension in place. Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports adds that the Sharks will retain 50% of Meier’s remaining contract. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports that Scott Harrington is also expected to go to New Jersey in the deal. The Sharks are sitting at 49/50 NHL contracts, meaning they need to move bodies out if multiple players are coming from the Devils.
At the NHL trade deadline, veteran players on expiring contracts are often dealt to contenders for a package of future assets. Usually, those rentals are nearing or over 30, sometimes even in the twilight of their careers. That’s not the case with Meier, who won’t turn 27 until October and is a legitimate first-line star in the prime of his career.
The big winger already has 31 goals this season through 57 games, after scoring 35 last season, and averages 20 minutes a night for the Sharks. He instantly upgrades the Devils’ attack, making them an even bigger contender in the treacherous Eastern Division playoff race. Whether he plays with Swiss countryman Nico Hischier or superstar center Jack Hughes, Meier always seemed like the perfect fit for a New Jersey team finally ready to push some chips to the middle of the table.
After years of rebuilding, stockpiling prospects and draft picks, the Devils are a dangerous group despite being one of the youngest in the NHL. Meier’s status as a pending restricted free agent only makes him more valuable to an acquiring team like New Jersey, which could legitimately afford to sign him to a long-term extension.
That extension will be pricey, though. The winger is due a $10MM qualifying offer this summer because of how his current contract is structured and he will have plenty of leverage in negotiations. If he desires to test the open market, he could agree to the qualifying offer for a one-year deal, and hit unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2024.
While there were reports for some time that the Devils wouldn’t agree to a deal without an extension in place, it’s still a reasonable bet to grab Meier now and worry about a contract later. The Metropolitan Division has already seen plenty of incoming star power, with Vladimir Tarasenko and Bo Horvat joining the New York Rangers and New York Islanders, respectively, and could see Patrick Kane join the bright lights of Broadway this week. To keep up in the arms race, New Jersey has landed their own difference-making forward—one who could be the best of the bunch, at least right now.
More to come…