Livescore
The NHL trade deadline is typically a chance for teams to move rentals to contenders. It’s not often that there is a young, quality player available that can alter the direction of all 32 teams.
That’s the case in 2023 with Sharks forward Timo Meier. The winger is considered to be one of the top targets available for the March 3 deadline and has plenty of clubs interested.
Meier, 26, is a restricted free agent this summer. He and the Sharks tried to work out a long-term extension, but the two sides could not come to an agreement. Instead, GM Mike Grier made it known that the winger was available.
The difference between Meier and other deadline options is that he wouldn’t be a rental. As an RFA, he won’t walk to the open market this summer. Instead, the team he’s on holds his rights and can either sign him to his $10 million qualifying offer, give him an extension or trade his rights elsewhere.
The No. 9 pick from the 2015 draft has spent the last seven seasons in San Jose. He’s a dynamic offensive player that is able to create both on and off the puck. He set a career-high in points last year with 76 and is going to contest that this year, as he’s up to 52 points in 57 games.
It is going to cost a pretty penny to get the Swiss forward, but he is going to be well worth it for whatever club is able to strike a deal with the Sharks.
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The Sporting News takes a look at five potential destinations for Meier at the 2023 trade deadline.
Five potential landing spots for Timo Meier
New Jersey Devils
Since the rumors of a Meier trade began months ago, the Devils have reportedly been heavily in on the forward. New Jersey has both the cap space, draft picks and prospects to make a deal with San Jose work.
While Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec should be off the table, Alexander Holtz is the prospect that has been brought up the most in rumors to go back San Jose’s way. There have also been reports recently that the Sharks continue to ask about Dawson Mercer, who has value as a young, rostered NHL player.
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New Jersey took a major step forward out of their rebuild this year and are going to be in the postseason. A move to get Meier would help set the Devils up nicely not just for this season, but for the next few years as well. He’d be joining a core group already signed long-term in Jack Hughes, Ondrej Palat and Nico Hischier, who has played internationally with Meier with Switzerland.
St. Louis Blues
The Blues have emerged as a potential suitor for Meier after acquiring two additional 2023 first-round picks from the Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan O’Reilly trades. It gives them the draft capital needed to work out a deal with the Sharks, in addition to having desirable prospects in Jimmy Snuggerud and Zachary Bolduc.
Armstrong is aiming to have the organization retool rather than rebuild, and bringing in Meier would help that process. St. Louis has a young core of Jordan Kyrou, Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich, so the basic pieces are there, but acquiring someone of Meier’s caliber would set up the club nicely for the future.
In order for Meier to sign a long-term deal with St. Louis, Armstrong likely has to move one of his defensemen. Colton Parayko and Torey Krug are the two that make sense, both have four years left on their deals making $6.5 million a year.
Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights are looking to make a move at the deadline. With Mark Stone on long-term injured reserve after back surgery, Vegas has cap space to find someone else for its top-six forward group, and Meier is one of the names the team is looking at.
GM Kelly McCrimmon has never shied away from trading Vegas’ first-round picks or top prospects. Brendan Brisson and Zach Dean are likely candidates to be involved in a package for Meier.
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The big question is: are the Sharks willing to trade Meier to one of their biggest rivals? This wouldn’t just be a half-year rental to help out Vegas; San Jose would be constantly playing against Meier over the next few years.
Carolina Hurricanes
This summer, we saw the Sharks and Hurricanes make a deal that sent defenseman Brent Burns from the Bay area to Raleigh. Could we see the same thing happen with Meier?
The Hurricanes have one of the most well-rounded teams in the league, but there is something missing on offense. Max Pacioretty was thought to be the answer when he made his Carolina debut in January, but he’s done for the year after re-injuring his Achilles.
GM Don Waddell is known to be someone that prefers not to trade for rentals at the deadline. Meier would fit that criteria and the Canes have the cap space to make it work. Adding Meier would put Carolina in a position to dominate in the East for years.
Winnipeg Jets
Reports have been picking up recently about the Jets’ interest in trading for Meier. Winnipeg has not traditionally been a team to make big moves at the deadline, but considering their success this year and how wide open the Western Conference seems to be, it’s a perfect time for GM Kevin Cheveldayoff to get aggressive.
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The Jets have just over $7 million available in cap space, so financially, they can make it work. In terms of prospects, Cole Perfetti is probably off-limits for the Sharks, but between Brad Lambert, Chaz Lucius and Rutger McGroarty, Cheveldayoff has enough to work with.
The Jets have a top-heavy forward group and Meier would take pressure off of Kyle Connor, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler. It’s also pretty well-known that Dubois isn’t staying in Winnipeg for the long haul and will be gone by the summer of 2024. Someone is going to have to replace his production.
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