The New Jersey Devils acquired the biggest fish on the trade market before the NHL Trade Deadline in Timo Meier. The move signals that Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald is serious about contending this season. It seems the Devils are ahead of schedule, and Fitzgerald rewarded them by getting a 26-year-old power forward who already has 30 goals this season. Unlike the Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, and to some extent, the New York Islanders, the Devils competing window is just opening. As of this writing, they are just three points behind the Hurricanes for first place in the Metropolitan Division. This is all without a debut from Meier. With the acquisition of Meier, does that make the Devils the new favorite in the Metropolitan Division?
To answer the question we have to look at the other seven teams in the division to have an answer. The Columbus Blue Jackets and Philadelphia Flyers are easy to answer. They’re both awful. The Washington Capitals, mostly known for competing, have switched gears organizationally and become sellers. While they sit in a playoff spot right now, they have more games played than anyone in the division and are expected to fall out of the race.
The Pittsburgh Penguins should be sellers, but as long as Sidney Crosby is in town, they are not going to be. The Devils have had their numbers lately, and things do not seem to be changing soon. The New York Islanders are a dark horse, but they have also been too streaky to become the favorites in the division. The additions of Bo Horvat and Pierre Engvall show they are serious, but they are too far behind the top teams to get back into the conversation.
That leaves the Hurricanes and Rangers. The Rangers added Vladimir Tarasenko, Niko Mikkola, and Patrick Kane. They have been nipping at the Devils heels for the last month or so, matching them with wins almost nightly. Tarasenko and Kane give them playoff experience and Stanley Cup-winning roster players. That gives them the needed intangibles to push them forward. However, shockingly, Igor Shesterkin has been bad lately. Uncharacteristically bad. He has still been serviceable, but not what we know he can be.
The Hurricanes added Jesse Puljujarvi. That is it. They swung and missed on Meier and are expected to add before the deadline on Friday. But until then, if Puljujarvi is it, Meier pushes the Devils as the new favorite in the NHL.
The Devils have had one of the best records in the league in 2023. With Meier added, they do not seem to be slowing down. The best part about it is that the Devils did not remove any key pieces from their current roster. Fabian Zetterlund is a good player, but Timo Meier is a massive upgrade. Comparing the Devils to the Hurricanes and Rangers is somewhat incomplete until the deadline has come and gone. But with that said, Meier was the big fish, and the Devils finally got him after months of rumors. Until the Hurricanes add more, the Devils have the better roster.
The New Jersey Devils are the new favorites in the Metro division.