Sharks trade Meier to Devils in massive nine-player deal originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
It's no longer Timo Time in San Jose.
The Sharks traded veteran winger Timo Meier to the New Jersey Devils on Sunday in a massive nine-player deal that also includes four draft picks changing hands.
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Both teams announced the deal shortly after 6 p.m. PT.
The Sharks receive defensemen Shakir Mukhamadullin and Nikita Okhotiuk, forwards Andreas Johnsson and Fabian Zetterlund, a 2023 first-round draft pick, a conditional 2024 first-round selection and a 2024 seventh-round choice in exchange for Meier, defensemen Scott Harrington and Santeri Hatakka, left wing Timur Ibragimov, goaltender Zachary Emond and a 2024 fifth-round pick (acquired in March from the Colorado Avalanche in the Andrew Cogliano trade).
The Sharks also will retain 50 percent of Meier's $10 million salary this season.
Meier finishes his seven-season Sharks tenure with 154 goals and 316 points -- both top-10 marks in franchise history -- and is one of four San Jose players with three or more 30-goal seasons. The 26-year-old winger is the only Swiss-born player to reach the 30-goal threshold in multiple seasons, and he holds the Swiss record for most goals in a single season (35).
This season, Meier led the Sharks in goals (31) and ranked second in points (52) and fifth in assists (21) in 57 games played.
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"Timo has been an exceptional player and teammate for the Sharks franchise for the past seven seasons," Sharks general manager Mike Grier said in a team-issued statement announcing the deal. "He was drafted here and has grown into one of the NHL's most imposing power forwards and will be missed by his teammates on the ice and our organization off the ice.
"These decisions are always extremely difficult, but at this time, it is in the best interest of the organization's goal to quickly return to being one of the NHL's top teams. We wish Timo the very best, and he will always remain a part of the San Jose Sharks family for life."
The Sharks' trade haul include two prospects whom The Athletic's Scott Wheeler recently ranked among the Devils' best, with Mukhamadullin No. 5 and Okhotyuk No. 13.
Mukhamadullin, a 2020 first-round pick (20th overall) by the Devils, currently is playing in Russia's KHL, where he has 25 points (six goals, 19 assists) in 66 games for Salavat Yulaev Ufa. The 21-year-old blueliner also leads his team in plus/minus and power-play goals (three).
Okhutiuk, 22, has split this season in New Jersey and the AHL, recording one goal in 10 games for the Devils and six points (two goals, four assists) in 20 games with the Utica Comets. He made his NHL debut last season, and has three points (one goal, two assists) in 15 total games.
Zetterlund, 23, has spent this entire season in the NHL, with 20 points (six goals, 14 assists) and a plus-four rating in 45 games for New Jersey. Johnsson, 28, has played in two games for the Devils this season, and has 113 points (48 goals, 65 assists) in 248 career NHL games, also with the Maple Leafs.
"This trade brings several high-level assets to our organization which can be utilized as we continue to reinvigorate our pool of young, talented and competitive players," Grier said in the team-issued statement. "Shakir is a big, mobile defenseman who leads the team defenseman in scoring this year and has the tools and upside to be a top-four defenseman in his career. Fabian is a young, developing player who brings offensive upside to the team, averaging half a point per game in the NHL. Nikita is a hard-nosed, physical blueliner with good leadership skills and high character. Andreas is a proven NHL player, with over 200 games of NHL experience."
The two picks the Sharks acquired come with some conditions.
If the Devils' 2023 first-round pick is a top-two selection -- which is unlikely, considering their 39-15-5 record -- they instead would send their own 2024 first-round choice to the Sharks. And should New Jersey reach the 2023 Eastern Conference finals (and Meier plays in at least 50 percent of his team's playoff games in 2023) or the 2024 Eastern Conference finals, it would send its own 2024 first-round pick to San Jose (top 10 protected). If none of that happens, the Sharks would receive the Devils' 2024 second-round pick.
The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun first reported that Meier had been traded early Sunday afternoon. Hours later, though, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that an injury to a player involved in the blockbuster deal was preventing it from becoming official, though he later clarified that it was "a slight hang-up" and "no reason to panic" that the trade would not happen.
After the trade did happen, Friedman reported that the team had to alter part of the deal to complete it.
LeBrun reported earlier this month that the Devils' interest in Meier was dependent on the 26-year-old signing a contract extension. But on Sunday, LeBrun reported that New Jersey was comfortable acquiring Meier without an extension.
The Sharks also turned down other enticing trade offers for Meier in recent days, per Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.
Trade rumors swirled around Meier for weeks ahead of the March 3 NHL trade deadline -- a situation he described as "challenging." LeBrun reported Sunday that five teams were involved in trade discussions for Meier at one point, including the Carolina Hurricanes, Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues, but in the end, it came down to the Devils and Pacific Division rival Vegas Golden Knights.
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Now, Meier is headed to New Jersey potentially as a rental, as the pending restricted free agent's qualifying offer will be $10 million this summer. However, LeBrun said on TSN that the Devils still view Meier as a long-term piece.
Meier is leaving the Sharks, who sit second to last in the Pacific, to join the Devils, who are second in the Metropolitan Division behind the Hurricanes. New Jersey looks to reach the NHL playoffs for the first time since 2018 with its newly acquired star.
