New Jersey Devils: 3 Timo Meier Trades To Force Sharks Hand

The New Jersey Devils beat the San Jose Sharks on Monday in the most dramatic way possible. Before they beat the Sharks, their star forward Timo Meier balled out. It’s time for the Devils to make the move that’s always made sense.

The New Jersey Devils took until the last few seconds of the San Jose Sharks game on Martin Luther King Day to pull out an improbable win. Jack Hughes scored with just seconds left in the third period to tie the game. It was a miraculous performance that ended with Tomas Tatar scoring the only shootout goal, sealing the Devils win.

Prior to the chaos, the Sharks looked like the better team. The best player on the ice on Monday was Timo Meier. He had four high-danger chances at 5v5, twice as many as any other player on the ice. He scored a goal and added a power-play assist. He did everything he could to will his team to victory. Unfortunately, it couldn’t be done.

With the Devils, Meier’s efforts would be rewarded with wins. So, it’s time to bring him to New Jersey, a place that many fans have circled as an eventual destination after we’ve seen how well he played with Nico Hischier at the World Championships. We did it 36 weeks ago, a year and a half ago, two years ago, and even as far back as four years ago. It’s always made sense, and now it’s time for the Devils to pull the trigger.

So, what will it cost for the Devils to obtain a player like Meier? In short, a lot. Let’s take a look at some of the options.

This is the most popular trade we’ve seen most often. It is some version of Alex Holtz and a first-round pick for Timo Meier. Obviously, the Devils have to add quite a bit of salary to this trade to make it work. That’s how we get to Tomas Tatar. Tatar has been quite good this year, especially compared to last season. This isn’t a move to force a Tatar trade, but to get a superstar, it takes a lot.

The Devils are giving up assets they hope build in value, like a 20-year-old sniper who’s proved he can at least score on the NHL level. Holtz has struggled to stay in the lineup, but he hasn’t struggled to find the back of the net when given the opportunity. Dan Quinn’s system demands less in terms of speed and hustle. Holtz could excel in that system, and he would be able to grow with his real-life friend Eklund.

The first-round pick is obviously a huge asset in what’s deemed a ridiculously deep draft. There could be superstars everywhere, similar to the 2015 NHL Draft. Any deal is going to have a first-round pick. The Devils can’t get away from that.

This trade actually still needs a little salary maneuvering. The Devils will figure that out. It’s only around $200,000, so some simple changes could give the Devils enough space. Tatar will likely get traded again if this deal happens because the Sharks don’t need him, but he has a decent value that could get the Sharks even more assets.