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.
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.
This one is a draft pick-heavy deal where Tom Fitzgerald gives up multiple unknown assets for a superstar. Meier is only 26 years old. He has years left in his prime. The Devils should be willing to give up a ton for him. However, with his $10 million qualifying offer coming up, would they be willing to give up four picks, especially if one is a first-round pick? On top of that, they are giving up Kevin Bahl, who has a lot of talent in a massive frame.
This really comes down to what the picks are. If it’s, say, a first-rounder, two seconds, and a third, that seems like a fair price. However, it’s incredibly steep. That might be what the Sharks expect to get any needle moving in January. The Devils have to blow the Sharks away for them to avoid March’s trade deadline.
The Devils also lose the contract to Andreas Johnsson in the deal. It seems like a move like this will need a high-priced player the Devils don’t need to make it work.
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We were slightly tempted to work out a trade where the Devils send Jesper Bratt to the Sharks, but it just isn’t worth it. The Devils have enough money to sign Bratt and Meier next season. Sure, it will be stressful for Tom Fitzgerald to go through two massive negotiations at once, but he is very well compensated to make a deal work.