New Jersey Devils: Takeaways From Big Changes In Practice

After a slow start with a win, a loss in a shootout, and a regular season loss, it’s the nature of the beast to have some growing pains early in the season. A long offseason, young players on defense, new players on offense, and more led to an up-and-down start. It is straightforward to get upset in the comment section of a podcast and call out a guy like Timo Meier and say the trade and extension are a complete waste. Yet, there’s much more to it than overreactions.

Timo Meier Then and Now

First off, everyone not named Jack Hughes, Dougie Hamilton, and Jesper Bratt have been struggling offensively. Not everyone is coming right off the hop playing like they are in midseason form. Tom Fitzgerald put a lot on the line for Timo Meier. Shakir Mukhamadullin, Fabian Zetterlund, Nikita Okhotiuk, a 2023 1st-round pick (Quentin Musty), and a 2024 2nd-round pick that could become a first if the Devils make the Eastern Conference Finals is a hefty price to pay.

To be fair, the timetable for Mukhamadullin and Okhotiuk wouldn’t have gelled with where New Jersey is this season. There would easily have been too many young defenders shooting for playing time if they stayed. Tom Fitzgerald used his asset management properly in trading them away while not hurting the Devils system at all.

The New Jersey Devils also picked up Santeri Hatakka in that trade. He looks like he could easily replace Brendan Smith on a call-up. He is truly well-rounded as a simple, hard-working Sasquatch of a defenseman. The other piece was Timur Ibragimov who is in Utica in more of an added depth role. Hatakka at some point this season could be added to the Devils defensive unit.

Meier played an essential role from the trade deadline and was a subtle X-factor in the playoffs against the Rangers. He’s still an important part of this team.

Timo Meier Now With Jack Hughes & Dawson Mercer

Yes, Meier is off to a slow start, and he is someone that doesn’t need to score 40 goals on this roster. He can be a 25-35-goal guy and still contribute successfully. What Meier needs to focus on is getting under the skin of players, being physical with defenders, and banking in those rebounds. When he wasn’t scoring in the playoffs against the Rangers, he was still contributing every night. He is also a force on the power play when he gets rolling with his confidence or as we call it “mojo.”

Lindy Ruff likes to mix the lines up like a mixologist making a gin and jam, but it’s also the chemistry of each player that can be an ingredient. If Meier is still slated to be with Jack Hughes and Dawson Mercer on a line, they need to get going offensively, then the need for mixing it up as a cocktail recipe must remain the same. Meier brings that physical presence, he can shoot really well and fetch the puck winning board battles. Hughes can be so elusive and get guys like Mercer to be the main finishers on that line.