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

This is where the Devils try to send the Sharks a boatload of picks and prospects to make a deal happen. If the Sharks want to go for the high-risk, high-reward approach, this is a good route. This was the move the Sabres made with both the Jack Eichel deal and the Ryan O’Reilly deal. One of those assets turned into Tage Thompson. He’s one of the biggest stars in the league.

The Devils are sending Thompson’s brother Tyce in this deal. He looks like a valuable asset, but he hasn’t been able to stay healthy. At one point, the former fourth-round pick rocketed up the Devils prospect list. His injuries are making it hard to see what he could be at the NHL level. He was injured again recently, but we don’t know how long he’s expected to miss.

The next two assets are scary for Devils fans. Graeme Clarke has looked stupendous in the AHL this season. He has 31 points in 36 games. Arseny Gritsyuk is a player who has dominated the KHL. After a slow start, he has 30 points in 50 games. That doesn’t sound impressive, but his second half has been so clutch, so skilled, that he looks like an NHL player already.

If the three high-reward prospects weren’t enough, the Devils give up their first and second-round picks in 2023. It’s a huge risk for the Devils, but the deal likely has to come with an extension. It’s also a risk for the Sharks, however. None of these assets have the track record of Holtz. Still, it’s a huge get for both teams.