Pucks and Pitchforks
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Timo Meier And New Jersey Devils 5 Greatest In-Season Trades Of All Time

By Nick Villano

Timo Meier #28 of the San Jose Sharks is knocked down during the third period against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on February 20, 2020 in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Sharks 2-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Timo Meier #28 of the San Jose Sharks is knocked down during the third period against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on February 20, 2020 in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Sharks 2-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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New Jersey Devils – Scott Gomez (Photo by: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

4. Claude Is Back In Town

Back in the year 2000, the Devils were set to compete with some of the best players in the league already on the roster. The 1999-00 Devils were one of the best teams of the decade, and this was a great decade for hockey. However, something just seemed to be a little off. So, on November 3, 1999, Lou Lamoriello brought back a playoff hero.

Claude Lemieux won the Conn Smythe for the Devils in 1995. He scored 13 goals that postseason, and he was a main cog in the Devils first championship. However, he was unhappy with his contract situation, saying he didn’t believe his three-year deal was valid. He fought it all the way to an arbitrator and lost. Unfortunately, the pain was already there, and Lamoriello had to trade him.

Just a few short years later, time had healed all wounds. Lemieux was traded back to the Devils very early in the 99-00 season. The Devils were 6-3-1-1 at the time of the trade. They went on a run, and the Devils would finish second in the Atlantic Division.

Lemieux didn’t have the same impact he had in 1995, but his 10 points in the playoffs along with his physicality brought the Devils over the top. He also led all forwards in ice time in the playoffs, coming just under 19 minutes per game. Head coach Larry Robinson trusted Lemieux to make the right play, as he played even more than the A Line.

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