Timo Meier Starts Second Half Strong For New Jersey Devils

New Jersey Devils right wing Timo Meier has stepped up as the push for the playoffs intensifies in the second half of the season. He posted a game-winning goal and an assist over the last three games, and he has brought much-needed production to the Devils third line.

Meier came to the Devils in a trade with the Sharks last February and had nine goals and five assists in 21 regular season games and two goals and two assists in the playoffs during the 2022-2023 season.  In his first full season as a New Jersey Devil, he’s started the year with 10 goals and 11 assists through 39 games and has, at times, struggled to produce offensively.

Dealing with injuries has caused Devils head coach Lindy Ruff to alter offensive lines many times this season, and Meier has played in combination with different teammates, sometimes for better and sometimes for worse. Meier has been playing on the third line with center Curtis Lazar and left-wing Dawson Mercer and on the second power-play unit. The Mercer-Lazar-Meier line combined for 5 points during the last two games against the Seattle Kraken and Nashville Predators. In the Nashville game, the line spent most of their ice time in the offensive zone, trying to create shots and scoring opportunities. It paid off for the trio and solidified a team victory.

Playing hungry will pay off for Meier and his linemates and, most importantly, the team. The Devils sit seven points behind the Philadelphia Flyers, who are currently third in the Metropolitan Division. Despite the Devils inconsistent first half of the season, they stand a very real chance of making the playoffs if they can find ways to win games during this second half stretch consistently. The third and fourth liners producing points is certainly a key to getting victories.

Now that Meier has broken a 12-game goal drought with his game-winning goal in Nashville, he'll look to keep his streak going and create offensive chances for himself and his linemates. Tuesday's goal not only sealed the deal for the Devils victory (a first regulation win in Nashville in 15 years), but also can serve as a confidence boost for Meier going forward.

The Devils have an important game this week with the Stadium Series matchup against the Flyers. When this game was initially announced, no one could have predicted just how close these two teams would be in the playoff standings and just how pivotal this would turn out to be. Meier has the opportunity to continue to create successful play with the third line and bolster the production that the Hischier and Hughes lines are producing. The Flyers average 2.91 goals per game, so every goal-scoring opportunity the Devils create on Saturday could be big. If Meier and the Devils can get on a hot streak, the Devils' hopes of the playoffs won’t seem so far-fetched. So far, Meier is proving he's not giving up on the season just yet.