*Photo from Sports Illustrated*
Hello blockbuster trade. The New Jersey Devils have acquired RW Timo Meier, LW Timur Ibragimov, G Zachary Emond, D Scott Harrington, D Santeri Hatakka, and a 2024 5th round pick from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for RW Fabian Zetterlund, LW Andreas Johnsson, D Shakir Mukhamadullin, D Nikita Okhotiuk, conditional first round picks in 2023 and 2024 and a 2024 7th round pick, according to both teams.
Widely seen as the best trade option, Meier is off to New Jersey. He is a pending RFA that is making $6 million this season, with the Sharks retaining half of his remaining salary. Meier is due a $10 million qualifying offer in the offseason from the Devils to keep exclusive negotiating rights.
Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald said of Meier that "It's the skill set, the ability to score goals, and the body size. Size helps. It was something I think we all believed we could add. We're not overly big at the forward group, but he helps make us a bigger, stronger team. He's a power forward, gets to the net, is tough to move away from the net, holds pucks down low, can skate, drives to the net. Just small things like that, they add up to be a player that you admire and say, 'I want that on my team.' That's what Timo Meier brings."
The condition of the 2023 first round pick is lottery based. The pick is top two protected, so if the Devils have either the first or second pick in the 2023 draft, the Sharks will get the Devils 2024 first rounder instead. If the Devils make the Eastern Conference Final this season or next and Meier plays at least half of the games, the Sharks get a top 10 protected 2024 first round pick. Otherwise, it becomes a second round pick.
Meier is enjoying another fantastic season with the Sharks, his 7th in the league. He has amassed 31 goals and 21 assists so far, averaging 19:59 of ice time each game while posting a -19 plus/minus rating in 57 games.
Asked about playing with the Devils, Meier said that "They've got so many good players on that roster. It's going to be fun. I haven't really thought too much about who I might be playing with, I'm just excited. Whoever I end up playing with, sure it's going to be great. That's kind of the mentality I have."
Harrington is the other NHL piece going to the Devils. A former second round pick, Harrington has produced one goal and 6 assists on the season, with a -7 plus/minus rating in an average of 15:18 of ice time per game in 28 games. He signed a one year deal with the Sharks after going to training camp on a PTO and is a pending UFA.
Ibragimov and Emond have played with the ECHL Wichita Thunder this season. Ibragimov has 32 points in 52 ECHL games this season, while Emond has a .936 save percentage over 4 appearances. Hatakka played in 9 NHL games last season, with two assists to his name.
Fitzgerald said of the move that "The players told me where they were, and it's no different than in the past. We weren't buyers in the past for the obvious. We had a record of what we had, and it was still sell time, grab future assets. But when you grab those future assets in the past, you know the grass was going to get greener because of the growth and development of our young players, so then we can use those future assets for days like today."
Zetterlund is the main NHL piece traded to the Sharks. The winger has contributed 6 goals and 14 assists, averaging 12:57 of ice time per game while posting a +4 plus/minus rating in 45 games for the Devils this season.
Johnsson has played in just two NHL games this season, spending the bulk of the time with AHL Utica. In 248 career NHL games, Johnsson has 48 goals and 65 assists, recording a +15 rating while averaging 14:08 of ice time per game in 6 seasons, having played for the Devils and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Okhotiuk, a 22 year old defenseman, has appeared in 10 games this season and 5 in 2021-2022 after being chosen in the 2019 draft by the Devils. Over those 15 games, Okhotiuk has two goals and one assist with a -1 rating.
Mukhamadullin is a 21 year old left shot defenseman that was chosen in the first round of the 2020 draft by the Devils. He has not yet played in America, as he is playing in Russia's KHL this season. He has a +16 rating with 25 points in 67 KHL games.
San Jose GM Mike Grier said of Mukhamadullin and Okhotiuk that "We think Shakir is a good player, someone we envision in our top four for quite a while. A great prospect and player that fills out our depth. Him and Nikita help our long-term plan."
The Devils are officially in contention for the foreseeable future, currently sitting in second place in the Metropolitan Division. The Sharks are once again having a bad season, currently in 7th place in the Pacific Division with a 18-30-12 record.
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