New Jersey Devils: 5 Alternative Trade Targets to Timo Meier

The Timo Meier rumor mill is in full swing with no end in sight. As New Jersey Devils fans, we’re used to disappointment, and this winter is shaping to be no different.

GM Tom Fitzgerald generally hasn’t shown an affinity for making the big move, unlike his former partner in crime Ray Shero. Yes, Fitz secured Dougie Hamilton’s signature two summers ago, but throwing money at the top defender on the market isn’t as impressive as securing the top trade piece in a seller’s market, especially after this past summer’s swing and miss at Johnny Gaudreau.

Thanks to the ascension of Jack Hughes and the help provided by a retooled roster, the New Jersey Devils find themselves firmly inside the playoff picture. The problem, though, is that there are still issues within the roster lingering from the offseason, a top-tier goal scorer chief among them.

As we hurtle closer to the 2023 Trade Deadline, we’ll begin to better understand which teams will be buyers and which teams will be sellers. The Blackhawks, Canadiens, Coyotes, Ducks, and Sharks are all loitering alongside the Blue Jackets at the bottom of the league. We all know about a certain Shark who has long been available, but other teams, including Wild Card chasers on the outside looking in, all still have something to offer.

5. Nick Schmaltz – Arizona Coyotes

Nick Schmaltz might be a player whose name is unfamiliar to casual NHL fans. The 6’0″ Wisconsin native has spent most of his NHL career with the Arizona Coyotes while missing a lot of time over the years due to various injuries he’s had to deal with. When he’s healthy and on his game though, Schmaltz is one of the most productive players in the league, posting 93 points over his last 100 games played.

The Coyotes seem like they are going to commit to selling off players for picks and prospects to expedite their rebuild, and Schmaltz will turn 27 at the end of February. Schmaltz also fits Tom Fitzgerald’s criteria of being a part of the Devils team for now in the future, with his current contract locking him in until 2026 at a salary of $5,850,000. It also helps that Schmaltz can play both right wing and center, which would only increase his value as a prospective linemate of Jack Hughes. The former Blackhawk would fit the Devils like a glove if he’s available.

4. Sam Reinhart – Florida Panthers

Versatile forward Sam Reinhart became a Florida Panther in July 2021 after taking a while to find his footing with the Buffalo Sabres. In return, Reinhart posted 82 points in 78 games in his first season down in Sunrise. This season has been a different story, however, as Reinhart has struggled to keep that form. The Panthers traded away longtime star Jonathan Huberdeau and top blueliner Mackenzie Weeger to Calgary for Matthew Tkachuk. While Tkachuk has been excellent, the team is still feeling the effects of the cap bind they are in.

Reinhart will be eligible for free agency next summer (2024) and is currently making a modest $6,500,000 on his current deal. If the Panthers can recoup a first-round pick for Reinhart, they might be able to use it to dump Sergei Bobrovsky and his $10,000,000 salary to upgrade the team while Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov are still in the primes of their careers.

If Tom Fitzgerald and the Devils are shrewd enough, they have the requisite firepower to pounce on this unique opportunity. The Devils can accommodate that cost if it’s just a first-round pick the Panthers seek. While it isn’t Timo Meier, Reinhart can be a very good forward when paired with this group.

2. Max Domi – Chicago Blackhawks

Tom Fitzgerald’s goal is to add players with term or team control, with one eye on the future and another on the current team’s run to the Stanley Cup. If he can add players who can find a home here in New Jersey, those are the types of deals he’s going to target.

It seems Max Domi has been around forever, but he’ll only be turning 28 at the beginning of next month. Domi bet on himself this past offseason, signing a one-year deal with Chicago worth just $3,000,000 after bouncing around with the Blue Jackets and Hurricanes following his tenure in Montreal.

Domi’s bet is paying off in spades. The enigmatic forward is on pace for his most goals since 2018-19 while getting the most ice time in his career thus far. He’s also been excellent for the Blackhawks on draws, winning a whopping 55% of his attempts this season.

The small-but-mighty Domi’s agitator style combined with his offensive skill could be a perfect fit for the Devils and their playoff push, and if the team can unlock his former self – a 72-point-scorer as a 23-year-old in 2018 – the Devils could find themselves with a massive steal on their hands.

1. Pavel Buchnevich – St. Louis Blues

The St. Louis Blues got their firesale started a little early when they traded longtime star Vladimir Tarasenko to the New Jersey Devils (potentially) most hated rival, the New York Rangers. But, if their 19th-ranked prospect pool has anything to say about it, Tarasenko might not be the only Russian heading out of town.

In a previous deal with the New York Rangers, the Blues acquired ace Russian winger Pavel Buchnevich. Buchnevich isn’t quite the power forward Timo Meier is, but he makes sense for the Devils for a variety of reasons.

1. He’s on a team-friendly contract for the next two seasons (23-24 and 24-25)
2. He’s over six feet tall
3. The Devils have plenty of prospects that would be desirable for a rebuilder like the Blues
4. He’s coming off of a career year on a bad team, suggesting that he’s only at the tip of the iceberg in regards to his scoring potential

The two remaining years on the contract certainly won’t make the Blues rush to move Buchnevich, but a team like the Devils, who’ve made it known they covet term and team control, might give the Blues more value than they’ll get moving him later on.

The Devils should know that big wingers who can score, make plays, and defend won’t come cheap, but this is the reason they built up their draft picks and prospect pool. It’s time to dream bigger in Newark.