With 87 goals, Timo Meier is tied in the New Jersey Devils record books at 34th with former NJ Devils forward Dainius Zubrus. If we compare their styles of play, Zubrus and Meier are similar big-bodied wingers; however, the former Devils winger played some center over his career and was more of a physical playmaker, play driver, and net-front presence. The Swiss winger, Timo Meier, is a 0.66 points-per-game player to Dainius' 0.40 points per game.
Timo Meier taps home the wonderful feed from Jack Hughes for the second New Jersey goal in 48 seconds!#NJDevils pic.twitter.com/Is2tYnfKPk
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) October 26, 2023
If Meier gets going with an underperforming cold-forward core (excluding Luke Evangelista) and posts a two-goal game, he ties former NJ Devils sniper Ilya Kovalchuk, along with Mark Johnson. Ilya Kovalchuk, at 89 goals, averaged 0.91 points per game. Timo Meier needs more drive to carry some of his linemates, collapse opposing defensemen, and shoot the puck more at will. From this angle, if the Devils can get clicking offensively, then the defense needs the biggest overhaul.
You can't inspire your forwards to keep buzzing if the defensemen are making blind passes, drop-back passes, and keep playing like soccer players. The team needs more north-to-south hockey, and the neutral-zone and blueline traps need to be executed aggressively.
The New Jersey Devils need a lot to go right
AJ MacLean and Ted Donato need to emphasize more in these areas under Keefe. However, Declan Chisholm has been too shaky on the back end. Remi Poirier needs to be in net against Vancouver, and we need to let him get his skates going and breathe life into this team. It needs to be more about getting Poirier rolling. Nico Daws needs to revisit his techniques and get back to being a young phenomenal goalie, but he has seemed to not have his mojo.
If Jonas Siegenthaler is going to miss some time, then Vladislav Kolyachonok should be called up. That is, unless they want to go with one of their youngsters, Ethan Edwards or Anton Silaev. It is puzzling why Sheldon Keefe isn't allowing any sasquatchy players besides Brenden Dillon, who has the nerve to chuck knucks and hip checks. Not just us here on Pucks & Pitchforks know this, but even people who are season ticket members and casual fans know that, with the lack of sasquatches on this team, opponents circle the NJ Devils as an easy target to go after our star players. We have seen enough from Sheldon Keefe without having a couple of physical bodies around who can hold teams accountable and need to strike fear.
It is still early in the season, but everyone has the right to want more from this highly offensive, capable team, and the defense and goaltending need to improve big time. Sunny Mehta, as GM, needs to look at the shortcomings of what Sheldon Keefe is doing. He needs to get the offense to break down opposing defenses and goaltending, and yet they are playing more like the lowly Toronto Maple Leafs, playing perimeter hockey and playing sloppy in their own defensive end. It is time to clean up this 1-2-0 strategy and right this ship back to our winning ways.
Add us as a preferred source on Google