The New Jersey Devils added fuel to their campaign to win the NHL’s Metropolitan Division by acquiring Switzerland-born forward Timo Meier from the San Jose Sharks on Sunday.
The Sharks have chosen to move on from their top goal scorer this season to one of the teams DailyMail.com identified as a potential suitor – just days before the trade deadline coming this Friday.
After hours of waiting, the Devils officially confirmed the deal: Meier will be moving to New Jersey along with defenseman Scott Harrington, a 2024 fifth-round pick, and three prospects in exchange for a package of picks and players.
The Devils sent to San Jose the following: forwards Fabian Zetterlund and Andreas Johnsonn, defensive prospects Shakir Mukhamadullin and Nikita Okhotyuk, a 2023 first-round pick, a 2024 second-round pick, and a 2024 seventh-round pick.
There are conditions on the first two picks. First, in the unlikely event the 2023 first-rounder becomes a top-two draft pick, the Devils will instead surrender their 2024 first-round pick.
Timo Meier has been traded to the New Jersey Devils from the San Jose Sharks
Secondly, if the Devils reach the Eastern Conference Finals in this season or next season – and Meier plays in half of New Jersey’s playoff games – that 2024 second-round pick becomes a 2024 first-round pick.
However, if that 2024 first-round pick is a top-10 selection, the Devils can transfer their 2025 first-round pick instead. Moreover, if New Jersey sent their ’24 first-rounder as part of the first condition, the Devils will send the ’25 first-rounder if they make the conference finals next season.
New Jersey currently sits second in the Metropolitan Division – just three points behind the Carolina Hurricanes. The Devils are also currently the third best team in the entire NHL. Meanwhile, the Sharks are currently the fourth worst team in the league, with 48 points – just four points ahead of the bottom-feeding Columbus Blue Jackets.
Meier will be arriving in New Jersey without an agreed-upon contract extension, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun. However, the 26-year-old Swiss skater will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season.
That means the Devils can qualify his offer and hold onto his rights until they agree upon a deal – or until another team tenders him an offer sheet that Meier accepts once free agency opens in the summer. If Meier accepts an offer sheet, the Devils will have seven days to match that offer – or the player will leave for league-determined compensation.
Meier has 31 goals and 21 assists so far this season for 52 points. That 31 goals puts him in the top-15 in the league while his 52 points has him just outside the top-50 in the league.
His points total was good for second-best on the Sharks behind defenseman Erik Karlsson, who is in the middle of a bounce back year.
The addition of Scott Harrington could also prove to be a boost for the third pairing of the Devils defense. He has a plus/minus rating of -7 but has only played in 28 games and has a goal and six assists to his name.
Switzerland born forward Meier has spent his last six seasons playing for the Sharks
The prospects the Devils received were Santeri Hatakka the 15th ranked prospect in the Sharks’ pool (per the Athletic) as well as the rights to goalie Zachary Emond and forward Timur Ibragimov.
As for what the Devils sent back, Zetterlund was a regular part of the Devils starting lineup, but got injured and has been scratched since Thursday. He has six goals and 14 assists for 20 points in 45 games.
Andreas Johnsson has only appeared in two games this season and has no points.
In terms of prospects given up, Mukhamadullin is New Jersey’s fifth overall prospect, their fourth best defensive prospect, and their second best left-handed-defensive prospect, according to The Athletic.
The Athletic also has Okhotiuk ranked 13th overall, seventh for defensemen, and fifth for left-handed-defensemen in the Devils’ pool.
In New Jersey, it’s not immediately clear what line Meier will likely slot into, but logic dictates that he’d be put on one of the top-two lines.
Meier could fit in the right wing spot for either of the Devils’ top-two forward lines this season
The Devils have alternated between two lines as the No. 1 group on their roster: one line consists of Jesper Bratt at left wing, Jack Hughes at center, and Yegor Sharangovich at right wing.
Another line often getting top minutes consists of Tomas Tatar at left wing, Nico Hischier at center, and Dawson Mercer at right wing.
The Bratt-Hughes-Sharangovich line has 72 goals and 85 assists for 157 total points. Meanwhile, the line of Tatar-Hischier-Mercer has 57 goals and 71 assists for 128 total points.
As for the Sharks, the potential to land consensus top prospect Connor Bedard has put them in the position to sell off some of the team’s best players.
Source of data and images: dailymail
The post Forward Timo Meier traded to the New Jersey Devils after six seasons with the San Jose Sharks first appeared on Elrisala.
The New Jersey Devils added fuel to their campaign to win the NHL’s Metropolitan Division by acquiring Switzerland-born forward Timo Meier from the San Jose Sharks on Sunday. The Sharks have chosen to move on from their top goal scorer this season to one of the teams DailyMail.com identified as a potential suitor – just days …
The post Forward Timo Meier traded to the New Jersey Devils after six seasons with the San Jose Sharks first appeared on Elrisala. Sports – Elrisala
