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The New Jersey Devils added fuel to their campaign to win the NHL’s Metropolitan Division by acquiring Swiss-born forward Timo Meier from the San Jose Sharks on Sunday.
The Sharks have opted to move from being their top scorer this season to one of the teams DailyMail.com has identified as potential suitors, just days before the trade deadline which arrives this Friday.
After hours of waiting the Devils officially confirmed the deal: Meier will move to New Jersey along with defenseman Scott Harrington, a 2024 fifth-round pick and three prospects in exchange for a pick and player package.
The Devils sent the following to San Jose: forwards Fabian Zetterlund and Andreas Johnsonn, defensive prospects Shakir Mukhamadullin and Nikita Okhotyuk, a 2023 first-round pick, a 2024 second-round pick and a 2024 seventh-round pick.
There are strings attached to the first two picks sent by the Devils. First, in the unlikely event that the 2023 first-round pick becomes one of the top two picks in the draft, the Devils will hand over their 2024 first-round pick.
Timo Meier has been traded to the New Jersey Devils from the San Jose Sharks
Second, if the Devils make it to the Eastern Conference Finals this season or next, and Meier plays in half of New Jersey’s playoff games, that 2024 second-round pick becomes a 2024 first-round pick.
However, if that 2024 first-round pick is a top-10 pick, the Devils can transfer their 2025 first-round pick instead. Also, if New Jersey sent their first round of 24 as part of the first condition, the Devils will send their first round of 25 if they reach the conference finals next season.
New Jersey currently sits second in the Metropolitan Division, just three points behind the Carolina Hurricanes. The Devils are also currently the third best team in the entire NHL. Meanwhile, the Sharks are currently the fourth worst team in the league, with 48 points, just four points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Meier will arrive in New Jersey without an agreed contract extension, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun. However, the 26-year-old Swiss skater will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season.
That means the Devils can qualify his offer and keep his rights until they reach an agreement, or until another team presents him with an offer sheet that Meier accepts once free agency opens in the summer. If Meier accepts an offer sheet, the Devils will have seven days to match that offer, or the player will leave for compensation determined by the league.
Meier has 31 goals and 21 assists so far this season for 52 points. Those 31 goals put him in the top 15 in the league, while his 52 points have him outside the top 50 in the league.
His point total was good for second-best on the Sharks behind defenseman Erik Karlsson, who is in the midst of a year of recovery.
The addition of Scott Harrington could also be a boost for the Devils defense’s third matchup. He has a plus/minus rating of -7 but has only played in 28 games and has one goal and six assists to his name.
Swiss-born forward Meier has spent his last six seasons playing for the Sharks.
The prospects the Devils received were Santeri Hatakka, the 15th-ranked prospect in the Sharks’ pool (for Atlético), as well as the rights to goalkeeper Zachary Emond and striker Timur Ibragimov.
As for the Devils’ return, Zetterlund was a regular part of the Devils’ starting lineup but was injured and has been sidelined since Thursday. He has six goals and 14 assists for 20 points in 45 games.
Andreas Johnsson has only appeared in two games this season and has no points.
In terms of dropped prospects, Mukhamadullin is New Jersey’s fifth-best overall prospect, its fourth-best defensive prospect, and its second-best left-handed defensive prospect. according to Atlético.
The Athletic also have Okhotiuk ranked 13th overall, seventh for fullbacks and fifth for left-footed fullbacks in the Devils’ group.
In New Jersey, it’s not immediately clear which line Meier will likely fall on, but logic dictates that he would be placed on one of the top two lines.
Meier could fit the right wing spot for either of the Devils’ first two forward lines this season.
The Devils have alternated between two lines as the No. 1 group on their roster: One line consists of Jesper Bratt at left wing, Jack Hughes at center and Yegor Sharangovich at right wing.
Another line that often gets the best minutes consists of Tomas Tatar on the left wing, Nico Hischier in the center and Dawson Mercer on the right wing.
The Bratt-Hughes-Sharangovich line has 72 goals and 85 assists for 157 total points. Meanwhile, the Tatar-Hischier-Mercer line has 57 goals and 71 assists for 128 total points.
As for the Sharks, the potential to land consensus top prospect Connor Bedard has put them in a position to sell some of the best players on the team.