Devils acquire Timo Meier in blockbuster trade with Sharks

The New Jersey Devils acquired Timo Meier from the San Jose Sharks in a blockbuster trade Sunday in advance of the NHL trade deadline.

New Jersey sent a 2023 first-round pick, a conditional 2024 first-rounder, forward Andreas Johnsson and prospects Shakir Mukhamadullin, Fabian Zetterlund and Nikita Okhotiuk. In return, the Devils get Meier, defenceman Scott Harrington and prospects Timur Ibragimov, Santeri Hatakka and Zach Emond to finish a complicated deal.

The 2024 conditional first round pick in the Meier trade: it’s a first- if the Devils make the conference final this year or next. Otherwise it’s a second round pick in 2024.

Meier is under team control for at least the next year. He's a pending restricted free agent with a $10 million US qualifying offer for the 2023-24 season, and Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald expects to be able to sign Meier long term.

Fitzgerald said he was not worried about the arms race among rivals and was focused on doing what he could to improve his team.

San Jose GM Mike Grier was similarly not worried about that, realizing the price of keeping Meier did not fit with the Sharks' plan moving forward.