Recently, Tom Fitzgerald was able to pull off a hug blockbuster deal that saw the New Jersey Devils acquire Timo Meier from the San Jose Sharks. The Devils already have a lot of offensive weapons in Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, & Jesper Bratt. Not to mention Dougie Hamilton on the defensive side of things, and Dawson Mercer has been scoring a lot more as of late. So, adding Meier to Devils’ already promising lineup should help them make a deep playoff run. In addition to his scoring ability, Meier also adds size, physicality, and great power play production.
Going into the season, a lot of people had their fair share of doubts as to how well this Devils team would perform this season. Given the fact that they are currently sitting second in the Metropolitan Divison after the acquisition of Meier, the expectations have elevated. I had the chance to ask Meier what some of his goals were for the team moving forward during his first press conference as a Devil.
“I think the goal for me is to always get to know your teammates,” Meier said. “I think for this team the sky’s the limit. For me personally, go in there and start working. They got a great thing going and the season gets harder and harder. be able to raise my game at this point of the year…I think this is going to be the best time of the year. closer to playoffs and have to be able to rise to the occasion. I’m really looking forward to facing that challenge with this new team and super talented squad.”
It’s been heavily discussed as to which center Meier will play alongside with. It could be his friend and fellow Swiss teammate Hischier, or arguably the best player on the Devils’ roster in Hughes. He also revealed to me in the same press conference that he hasn’t been notified of any official assignment despite his brief talks with head coach Lindy Ruff.
“I’ve talked to Lindy, but there hasn’t been any chat about lines and all that stuff,” he said. “For me, my first priority is to get healthy.”
Listen to the full discussion on the latest episode of Locked On Devils
Meier is listed as day-to-day for the time being, so Devils fans are going have to wait just a little while more before they get to see him in action. Based on what he has told me, I am very excited to see how he blossoms as player since he is now in a winning situation surrounded by a lot of talented players. The ultimate goal for the Devils at this point is to make it past the first round and put up a decent fight during the playoffs. Given Meier’s optimism and confidence, I believe the Devils are destined for greatness.