The New Jersey Devils have acquired scoring forward Timo Meier from the San Jose Sharks, the team announced Sunday.
As part of the deal, New Jersey also receives Timur Ibragimov, Scott Harrington, Santeri Hatakka, Zachary Emond and a 2024 fifth-round pick.
In return, San Jose gets Andreas Johnsson, Fabian Zetterlund, Nikita Okhotiuk, Shakir Mukhamadullin, a 2023 conditional first-round pick, a 2024 conditional second-round pick and a seventh-round pick in 2024.
The Sharks will retain 50 per cent of Meier's salary.
The conditions on the picks are as follows, according to the Devils:
• For the conditional first in 2023: If the pick is a top-two selection, New Jersey will instead transfer its 2024 first-round pick.
• For the conditional second in 2024: If the Devils reach the 2023 Eastern Conference Final with Meier playing at least 50 per cent of the playoff games or reach the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals, New Jersey will transfer its first-round pick in 2024 to San Jose (top 10 protected) instead of its second-round pick.
"It's certainly a very special day," Meier said in his presentation media availability. "I heard so many good things about the New Jersey Devils. Not just their team, their organization as well and obviously their fan base. I'm just very excited and I'm already excited to get this started."
Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald cited former general manager and his "mentor" Ray Shero in his plan to move forward with the deal. New Jersey's thought process was acquiring assets on the long-term, relying on their amateur scouting staff to draft the right players and slowly move on from their rebuild.
"Acquiring assets, developing assets, for New Jersey whether they play in New Jersey or they're traded for players to play in New Jersey," Fitzgerald said. "That's been the goal since day one and now we're at a situation where we can apply that because of where we're at."
The Swiss-born Meier was second on the rebuilding Sharks in scoring this season, with 52 points (31 goals, 21 assists) in 57 games.
Picked ninth overall in the 2015 NHL Draft by the Sharks, Meier has 154 goals and 162 assists for 316 points in 451 career games with San Jose.
Listed at 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, Meier uses his solid frame to hold off defenders in front of the net and along the boards.
“What separates Meier from prototypical power forwards is his mobility,” wrote Sportsnet analyst Adam Vingan. “Meier … is at his best when pushing the pace. When Meier is on the ice, high-event hockey is the norm.”
Meier, 26, will be a restricted free agent this off-season after his four-year, $24-million deal expires. A unique wrinkle to his contract is although his cap hit is $6 million for this season, he is being paid $10 million and he is owed a $10-million qualifying offer after this season.
“Timo’s a unique player,” Sharks GM Mike Grier told reporters last month. “I think (if) you’re starting a team from scratch, and you’ve got a chance to grab someone like Timo, you’re going to take him and put him on your wing and forget about him for the next 10 years. He’s big. He’s fast. He can score.”
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