The San Jose Sharks have traded star forward Timo Meier to the New Jersey Devils.
Along with Meier, San Jose sent forward Timur Ibragimov, defensemen Scott Harrington and Santeri Hatakka, goaltender Zachary Emond, and a 2023 fifth-round pick to New Jersey. The Sharks are also retaining 50% of Meier's $6 million cap hit as part of the deal.
In return, the Sharks received a 2023 first-round pick, conditional 2024 first-round pick, forwards Andreas Johnsson and Fabian Zetterlund, and defensemen Shakir Mukhamadullin and Nikita Okhotyuk.
Meier was the biggest name on the trade market this season, and the Devils won the sweepstakes to land him. Meier, 26, is a bona fide star and has recorded 31 goals and 21 assists in 57 games played this season. With Meier on the ice in five-on-five situations, the Sharks have controlled a staggering 57.84% of the expected goals, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Now in his seventh NHL season, Meier has scored 154 goals while adding 162 assists in 451 career games. Meier has eclipsed the 30-goal mark in three of those seasons, and he has scored at least 20 goals on five different occasions.
Meier should be a natural fit with New Jersey's core of talented young forwards, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him slot in on the wing alongside his fellow Swiss countryman Nico Hischier.
Meier is in the final year of his current contract, and he will be due for a big raise as a restricted free agent this offseason. The Devils will likely push to re-sign Meier, but no contract extension has been announced at this time.
Zetterlund, 23, is in the midst of a decent rookie season with six goals and 14 assists in 45 games. The former third-round draft pick could provide the Sharks with quality forward depth for years to come.
Mukhamadullin was the No. 20 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, and he has six goals and 19 assists for the KHL's Ufa Salavat Yulayev in the 2022-23 season. Okhotyuk, 22, was the No. 61 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft and has two goals and four assists in 20 games with the AHL's Utica Comets.
After this trade, the Sharks now have four first-round picks combined in the next two drafts as they try to restock their prospect cupboard and build toward the future.
