NEWARK, N.J. — The New Jersey Devils have landed one of the biggest fish on the NHL's trade market in advance of Friday's 3pm EST deadline.
Timo Meier was traded to the New Jersey Devils by the San Jose Sharks on Sunday in a complex deal involving several players and picks.
The Sharks get forwards Fabian Zetterlund and Andreas Johnsson, defensemen Shakir Mukhamadullin and Nikita Okhotiuk, a conditional first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, and a second- and seventh-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
They're also retaining 50 percent of Meier's salary.
Locked on Sharks podcast host JD Young believe the return is a bit underwhelming, especially since New Jersey didn't have to give up a player like Dawson Mercer or a top prospect such as Alexander Holz or Simon Nemec.
"Timo Meier was the best available player at the trade deadline, and this feels like quantity over quality where you're hoping to get something that hopefully work out instead of something that is going to work out", Young said.
The picks could be valuable, but you're hoping 2020 first-round pick Mukhamadullin becomes a viable NHLer while Meier will be a 40-goal scorer over the next few seasons at least.
Along with Meier, the Devils also received defensemen Scott Harrington and Santeri Hatakka, forward prospect Timur Ibragimov, goalie prospect Zachary Emond, and a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Devils fans should be rejoicing over the deal, says Locked on Devils podcast host Trey Matthews.
Matthews says Meier will fit in "like a glove" and will be deployed in all situations.
"I expect Timo Meier to be a huge, huge addition for a Devils roster despite a contract extension not coming to fruition for the time being", Matthews argues.
Meier scored 31 goals and added 21 assists in 57 games for San Jose this season, and will now get to play with countryman Nico Hischier or superstar center Jack Hughes.
Meier, 26, is in the final year of his current deal and will be a restricted free agent at season's end. His qualifying offer will come in at $10 million, but he and the Devils could come to an agreement on a long-term deal at a more reasonable rate.
Whether or not he remains a long term piece for the Devils remains to be seen, but what New Jersey's getting for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs is a high-end winger who contributes all over the ice.
Meier had been dealing with an upper-body injury prior to the trade, so his Devils debut is currently TBD.
The Devils are the latest Eastern Conference team to add a big piece, following in the footsteps of the Boston Bruins (Dmitry Orolov and Garnet Hathaway), Toronto Maple Leafs (Ryan O'Reilly and Noel Acciari), New York Rangers (Vladimir Tarasenko), and Tampa Bay Lightning (Tanner Jeannot).