The New Jersey Devils caught their big fish before the 2023 NHL trade deadline by acquiring Timo Meier from the San Jose Sharks, TSN and The Athletic’s Pierre Lebrun first reported.
Lebrun notes that the official announcement of the trade is yet to be made, so stay tuned for an updated look at the trade from both teams’ perspectives.
Meyer isn’t cheap, but he’s probably worth it for the Devils.
According to LeBrun, one of the most important aspects of Meyer’s deal is that it will not come with a contract extension. Meyer, 26, will become a restricted free agent in the offseason. Importantly, Meyer has arbitration rights and the qualifying offer will push him to $10 million next season (2023–2024). Various reports indicate that Meyer will be asking for around $9 million a year for renewal, so he will be an expensive player for the Devils anyway. (One of the measures determined its market value this season about 10.4 million dollars.)
On the other hand, Meyer seems very worthy. He has long been an all-around player with strong base numbers. During this contract year, he put together all his promises to produce the kind of output you would expect from a star. He has already scored 31 goals in 57 games this season, four goals short of his record tally of 35 in 2021/22.
Meyer could have placed alongside fellow Swiss scorer Niko Hishir, but he also makes a lot of sense on the flank of Jack Hughes. Either way, he’s the kind of star you’d like to add when you already have standout players like Hughes and Hishir on cost-controlled contracts.
Meyer doesn’t just add skill, scoring and versatility to the Devils’ game. As powerful as the New Jersey’s often overpowering offensive attack was, the Devils could use some size without sacrificing ability. Meyer is a kind of “modern power forward” who can keep the play in the attacking zone and get to difficult areas of the ice. When things go wrong in the playoffs, you can use a player like Meyer to make life easier for Hughes and Hishir.
It also adds intrigue to what will almost certainly be a first-round series between the Devils and the New York Rangers, another team that has already booted before the deadline and could also bring in Patrick Kane. While Kane is the bigger name, Meyer is the real star and arguably the best player available at this deadline. He should also be a lot of fun to watch as part of a fiery Devil attack.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
